riNdOJiivo  to  • 


O  SANTA  SARBARA  « 


1 

5 

1 

ft 

o  SANTA  BARBARA  «. 


Mr.  Jonathan  Johnson  relating  his  adTentm^s. 


MAEMADUKE    MERRY 


THE  MIDSHIPMAN, 


MY   EARLY   DAYS    AT    SEA 


WILLIAM   H.  G.  KINGSTON, 

author  op 
'peter  the  whaler,"  "true  blue,"  "old  jack,"  '"the  three 
midshipmen,"  etc.  etc. 


«    <»»»i    > 


BOSTON: 
CROSBY    AND    NICHOLS. 

117    WASHIKOTON    STREET. 

NEW  YORK :    OLIVER  S.  FELT,  36  WALKER  STREET. 
1864. 


CAMBaiDGE  :  Allen  &  Farnham, 
Stereotypers  and  Printers. 


MARMADUKE  MERRY, 
THE     MIDSHIPMAN. 


CHAPTER    I. 

I  BELONG  to  the  family  of  the  Merrys  of  Leicester- 
shire. Our  chief  characteristic  was  well  suited  to  our 
patronymic.  "  Merry  by  name  and  merry  by  nature," 
was  a  common  saying  among  us.  Indeed,  a  more  good- 
natui'ed,  laughing,  happy  set  of  people  it  would  be  diffi- 
cult to  find.  Right  jovial  was  the  rattle  of  tongues  and 
the  cachinnation  which  went  forward  whenever  we  were 
assembled  together  either  at  breakfast  or  dinner  or  sup- 
per ;  our  fother  and  mother  setting  us  the  example,  so 
that  we  began  the  day  with  a  hearty  laugh,  and  finished 
it  with  a  heartier.  "  Laugh  and  grow  fat "  is  an 
apophthegm  which  all  people  cannot  follow,  but  our 
mother  did  in  the  most  satisfactory  manner.  Her  skin 
was  fair  and  most  thoroughly  comfortably  filled  out ; 
her  hair  was  light,  and  her  contented  spirit  beamed  out 
from  a  pair  of  large  laughing  blue  eyes,  so  that  it  was  a 
pleasure  to  look  at  her  as  she  sat  at  the  head  of  the 


4  MARMADUKE    MERRT,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

table,  serving  out  the  viands  to  her  hungry  progeny. 
Our  sisters  were  very  like  her,  and  came  fairly  under 
the  denomination  of  jolly  girls  ;  and  thoroughly  jolly 
they  were  ;  —  none  of  them  ever  had  a  headache  or  a 
toothache,  or  any  other  ache  that  I  know  of.  Our 
father  was  a  good  specimen  of  a  thorough  English  coun- 
try gentleman  ;  he  was  thorough  in  every  thing,  honest- 
faced,  stout,  and  hearty,  not  over  refined,  perhaps,  but 
yet  gentle  in  all  his  thoughts  and  acts  ;  a  hater  of  a  lie 
and  every  thing  dishonorable,  hospitable  and  generous 
to  the  utmost  of  his  means  ;  a  protector  of  the  poor  and 
helpless,  and  a  friend  to  all  his  neighbors.  Yes,  and  1 
may  say  more,  both  he  and  my  mother  were  humble, 
sincere  Christians,  and  made  the  law  of  the  Bible  their 
rule  of  life.  He  told  a  good  story  and  laughed  at  it 
himself,  and  delighted  to  see  our  mother  and  us  laugh 
at  it  also.  Had  he  been  bred  a  lawyer,  and  lived  in 
London,  he  would  have  been  looked  upon  as  a  first-rate 
wit  ;  but  I  am  certain  that  he  was  much  happier  with 
the  lot  awarded  to  him.  He  had  a  good  estate  ;  his 
tenants  paid  their  rents  regularly  ;  and  he  had  few  or 
no  cares  to  disturb  his  digestion  or  to  keep  him  awake 
at  night ;  and  I  am  very  certain  that  he  would  far 
rather  have  had  us  to  hear  his  jokes,  and  laugh  at  them 
with  him,  than  all  the  wits  London  ever  produced.  He 
delighted  in  joining  in  all  our  sports,  either  of  the  field 
or  flood,  and  we  always  looked  forward  to  certain  amuse- 
ment when  he  was  able  to  accompany  us.  He  was  our 
companion  and  friend  ;  we  had  no  secrets  from  him,  — 
why  should  we  ?  He  was  always  our  best  adviser,  and 
if  we  got  into  scrapes,  which  one  or  the  other  of  us  was 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  5 

not  unfrequently  doing,  we  were  very  certain  that  no 
one  could  extricate  us  as  well  as  he  could.  I  don't 
mean  to  say  that  he  forgot  the  proverb,  "  Spare  the  rod, 
spoil  the  child  ;  "  or  that  we  were  such  pieces  of  pei'fec- 
tion  that  we  did  not  deserve  punishment ;  but  we  had 
sense  enough  to  see  that  he  punished  us  for  our  good : 
he  did  it  calmly,  never  angrily,  and  without  any  unne- 
cessarily severe  remark,  and  we  certainly  did  not  love 
him  the  less  for  the  sharpest  flogging  he  ever  gave  us. 
Directly  afterwards,  he  would  meet  the  culprit  in  his 
usual  frank,  hearty  way,  and  seem  to  forget  all  about 
the  matter. 

Our  sisters  were  on  the  same  happy  intimate  terms 
with  our  mother,  and  we  boys  had  no  secrets  with  her, 
or  with  them  either. 

Our  father  used  to  believe  and  assert  that  our  family 
had  settled  in  Leicestershire  before  the  Conquest,  and, 
in  consequence  of  this  notion,  he  gave  us  all  old  English 
names  or  what  he  supposed  to  be  such.  His  own  name 
was  JoliiFe,  and  he  used  to  be  called  by  his  hunting 
associates,  the  other  gentlemen  of  the  county,  Jolly 
Merry.  He  was  not,  I  should  say,  par  excellence  a  fox 
hunter,  though  he  subscribed  to  the  county  hunt,  and 
frequently  followed  the  hounds  ;  and  no  one  rode  better, 
nor  did  any  one's  voice  sound  more  cheerily  on  copse  or 
hill-side  than  did  his,  as  he  greeted  a  friend,  or  sang  out, 
in  the  exuberance  of  his  spirits,  a  loud  tallyho-ho.  My 
name  stood  sixth  in  the  Family  Bible,  and  that  of  Mar- 
maduke  had  fallen  to  my  lot.  We  had  a  Cedric,  an 
Athelstane,  an  Egbert,  and  an  Edwin  among  the  boys, 
and  a  Bertha,  an  Edith,  and  a  Winnifred  among  the 
1* 


6  MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

girls.  "We  all  went  to  school  in  our  turns,  but  though 
it  was  a  very  good  school,  we  did  not  like  it  so  much  as 
home.  When,  however,  we  got  to  school,  we  used  to 
be  very  jolly,  and  if  other  boys  pulled  long  faces  we 
made  round  ones  and  laughed  away  as  usual.  Our 
school  was  in  Northamptonshire,  so  that  we  had  not  far 
to  go,  and  we  kept  up  a  very  frequent  correspondence 
with  home,  from  which,  in  consequence  of  its  vicinity, 
we  received  more  hampers  laden  with  cakes  and  tongues, 
and  pots  of  jam,  and  similar  comestible  articles,  than 
most  of  our  companions.  I  do  not  say  that  we  should 
not  otherwise  have  been  favorites,  but  it  might  have 
been  remarked  that  the  attentions  and  willingness  to 
oblige  us  of  our  companions  increased  in  proportion  to 
the  size  of  our  hampers,  and  our  readiness  to  dispense 
their  contents. 

However,  I  will  not  dwell  on  my  school  life.  I 
imbibed  a  certain  amount  of  classical  and  elementary 
knowledge  of  a  somewhat  miscellaneous  description, 
and  received  not  a  few  canings,  generally  for  laughing 
in  ray  class  at  something  which  tickled  my  fancy,  when 
I  ought  not  to  have  allowed  my  fancy  to  be  tickled ; 
but  altogether  my  conduct  was  such  that  I  believe  I 
was  considered  to  have  brought  no  discredit  on  the 
Merry  name  or  fame.  Such  was  my  uneventful  career 
at  school. 

We  were  all  at  home  for  the  summer  holidays.  "We 
were  seated  at  breakfiist.  What  a  rattle  of  tongues, 
and  knives,  and  forks,  and  cups,  and  saucers  there  was 
going  on.  What  vast  slices  of  bread  and  butter  were 
disappearing  within  our  well-practised  jaws.     Various 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.  7 

cries  proceeded  from  each  side  of  the  table.  "  Bertha, 
another  cup  of  tea."  "  Bertha,  some  more  milk." 
"  Bertha,  you  haven't  given  me  sugar  enough  by  half." 
"  Bertha,  I  like  strong  tea ;  no  wish-wash  for  me." 

Bertha  was  our  oldest  sister  and  tea-maker  general. 
She  had  no  sinecure  office  of  it ;  but,  in  spite  often  of 
the  most  unreasonable  demands,  she  dispensed  the  bev- 
erage with  the  most  perfect  justice  and  good-humor. 
Not  unsatisfactory  were  the  visits  paid  to  the  side-board, 
covered  as  it  was  with  brawn,  and  ham,  and  tongue,  and 
a  piece  of  cold  beef,  and  such  like  substantial  fare. 

Suddenly  the  tenor  of  our  conversation  was  turned 
by  the  entrance  of  the  servant  with  the  post-bag.  The 
elders  were  silent  for  a  few  minutes,  —  our  father  and 
mother  and  Bertha,  and  Cedric,  who  was  at  home  from 
college.  Our  mother  had  a  large  circle  of  correspon- 
dents, and  seldom  a  post  arrived  without  a  letter  for 
her.  Our  father  had  fewer ;  but  this  morning  he  re- 
ceived one  in  a  large  official-looking  cover,  which 
absorbed  his  attention.  Still  the  clatter  of  tongues 
went  on  among  us  younger  ones.  Our  father  and 
mother  had  grown  so  accustomed  to  it,  that,  as  the 
miller  awakes  when  his  mill  stops,  so  they  would  have 
looked  up  to  ascertain  what  was  the  matter  had  we  been 
silent. 

"  Which  of  you  would  like  to  become  a  midshipman  ?" 
asked  our  father  looking  up  suddenly. 

The  question  had  an  effect  rarely  produced  in  the 
family.  We  were  all  silent.  Our  mother  put  down 
her  letters,  and  her  fond  eyes  glanced  round  on  our 
faces.     Her  countenance  was  unusually  grave. 


8  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

Again  my  father  looked  at  the  document  in  his  hand. 
"  Captain  Collyer  says  he  should  not  be  more  than  four- 
teen. Marmaduke,  that  is  your  age.  AVhat  do  you 
say  on  the  subject  ?  "  said  my  father. 

"Jolifte,  what  is  it  all  about?"  asked  my  mother, 
with  a  slight  trepidation  in  her  voice. 

"  I  forgot  that  I  had  not  read  the  letter.  It  is  rather 
long.  It  is  from  my  old  friend,  Dick  Collyer,  and  a 
better  fellow  does  not  breathe.  The  tenor  of  it  is  that 
he  has  got  command  of  a  fine  frigate,  The  Doris,  fitting 
with  all  despatch  for  sea,  and  that  he  will  take  one  of 
our  boys  as  a  midshipman,  if  we  like  to  send  the  young- 
ster with  him.  There  is  no  time  to  lose,  as  he  expects 
to  be  ready  in  a  week  or  ten  days ;  so  we  must  decide 
at  once." 

The  question  was  put  indirectly  to  me,  "  Should  I 
like  to  go  to  sea?"  Now,  I  had  never  even  seen  the 
sea,  and  had  never  realized  what  a  man-of-war  was 
like.  The  largest  floating  thing  to  which  I  was  accus- 
tomed was  the  miller's  punt,  in  which  my  brothers  and 
I  used  occasionally  to  paddle  about  on  the  mill-pond ; 
in  which  mill-pond,  by  the  by,  we  had  all  learned  to 
swim.  I  had  seen  pictures  of  ships,  though  as  to  the 
size  of  one,  and  the  number  of  men  slie  might  carry,  I 
was  profoundly  ignorant.  I  was,  therefore,  not  very 
well  qualified  to  come  to  a  decision.  Suddenly  1  recol- 
lected a  visit  paid  to  us  by  Tom  Welby,  an  old  school- 
fellow, after  his  first  trip  to  sea,  and  what  a  jolly  life  I 
thought  he  must  lead  as  he  described  his  adventures, 
and  how  fine  a  fellow  he  looked  as  he  strutted  about 
with  his  dirk  at  his  side,  the  white  patch  on  his  collar, 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  9 

and  the  cockade  in  his  hat.     I  decided  at  once.     "  K 
you  wish  it,  father,  I'm  ready  to  go,"  said  I. 

My  father  looked  at  me  affectionately.  There  was,  I 
am  certain,  a  conflict  going  on  in  his  mind  whether  or 
not  he  should  part  with  me ;  but  prudence  conquered 
love. 

"  Of  course,  you  must  all  have  professions,  boys,  and 
the  navy  is  a  very  fine  one,"  he  observed.  "  What  do 
you  say,  Mary  ?  " 

My  mother  was  too  sensible  a  woman  to  make  any 
objections  to  so  promising  an  offer  if  I  did  not ;  and 
therefore,  before  we  rose  from  the  breakfast  table,  it  was 
settled  that  I  was  to  be  a  midshipman,  and  we  were  all 
soon  laughing  away  as  heartily  as  ever.  The  news  that 
Master  Marmaduke  was  going  away  to  sea  quickly 
reached  the  servants'  haU,  and  from  thence  spread  over 
the  village. 

Not  a  moment  was  lost  by  our  mother  in  commencing 
the  preparations  for  my  outfit.  Stores  of  calico  were 
produced,  and  she  and  Bertha  had  cut  out  a  set  of  shirts 
and  distributed  them  to  be  made  before  noon.  While 
they  were  thus  employed,  I  went  down  to  have  a  talk 
with  my  father,  and  to  have  my  ignorance  on  nautical 
affairs  somewhat  enlightened,  though  he,  I  found,  knew 
very  little  more  about  them  than  I  did.  While  I  was 
in  the  study  the  footman  came  to  say  that  Widow  Bluff 
wished  to  see  Iiim.  "  Let  her  come  in,"  was  his  reply. 
"  Well,  dame,  what  is  it  you  want  this  morning  ?  "  he 
asked,  in  his  cheery  encouraging  tone  as  she  appeared. 
"  Why,  sir,  I  hears  how  Master  Marmaduke's  going 
away  to  sea,  and  I  comes  to  ask  if  he'll  take  my  boy 
Toby  wi'  him,"  answered  the  dame,  promptly. 


10  MARMAPUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

"  "What,  ]Mrs.  Bluff,  do  you  wish  hira  to  be  an  officer  ?  " 
said  my  fatiier. 

"  Blessy  no,  sir.  It's  to  be  his  servant  like.  I  sup- 
pose he'll  want  some  one  to  clean  his  shoes  and  brush 
his  clothes,  and  such  little  things,  and  I'd  be  proud  for 
my  Toby  to  do  that,"  answered  the  dame.  Now,  I  had 
always  thought  Toby  Bluff  to  be  a  remarkably  dunder- 
headed,  loutish  fellow,  though  strong  as  a  lion,  and  with 
plenty  of  pluck  in  his  composition.  I  had  helped  him 
out  of  a  pond  once,  and  done  him  some  other  little  ser- 
vice, I  fancy ;  but  I  had  forgotten  all  about  the  matter. 

"  I  will  see  about  it,  dame,"  said  my  father.  "  But  I 
doubt  if  Toby,  thougli  a  good  lad,  will  ever  set  the 
Thames  on  fire." 

"  Blessy  heart,  I  hopes  not,"  exclaimed  the  dame,  in 
a  tone  of  horror.  "  He'd  be  a  hanged,  if  he  did,  like 
them  as  burnt  farmer  Dobbs's  corn  stacks  last  year." 

Toby,  it  appeared,  was  waiting  outside.  My  father 
sent  for  him,  and  found  that  he  really  had  a  very  strong 
desire  to  go  to  sea,  or  rather  to  follow  me.  Toby  had 
an  honest  round  freckled  countenance,  with  large  hands 
and  broad  shoulders,  but  a  slouching  awkward  gait, 
■which  made  him  look  far  less  intelligent  than  he  really 
was.  As  he  had  always  borne  a  good  character,  my 
father  promised  to  learn  if  Captain  Collyer  would  take 
him.  The  answer  was  in  the  affirmative.  Behold,  then, 
Toby  Bluff  and  I  about  to  commence  our  career  on  the 
briny  ocean. 

I  tried  to  laugh  to  the  last ;  but  somehow  or  other  it 
was  a  harder  job  than  I  had  ever  found  it ;  and  as  to 
my  mother  and  sisters,  though  they  said  a  number  of 


MAR5IADUKE    MERKY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  11 

funny  things,  there  was  a  moisture  in  their  eyes  and  a 
tremulousness  in  their  voices  very  unusual  with  them. 
Tohy  Blut}',  as  lie  scrambled  up  on  the  box  of  the  chaise, 
which  was  to  take  us  to  meet  the  London  coach,  blub- 
bered out  with  a  vehemeiice  which  spoke  more  for  the 
sensitiveness  of  his  feelings  than  for  his  sense  of  the 
dignified;  but  when  his  mother,  equally  overcome,  ex- 
claimed, "  Get  down,  Toby ;  I'll  not  have  thee  go,  boy, 
an  thou  takest  on  so,"  he  answered  sturdily,  "  Noa,  noa, 
mother;  I've  said  I'd  stick  to  Measter  Marmaduke,  and 
if  he  goes,  I'll  go  to  look  after  him." 

My  brothers  cheered  and  shouted  as  we  drove  off, 
and  I  did  my  best  to  shout  and  cheer  in  return,  as  did 
Toby,  in  spite  of  his  tears.  My  father  accompanied  us 
as  far  as  London.  We  spent  but  a  few  hours  in  that 
big  city. 

''I  don't  see  that  it  be  so  very  grand  like,"  observed 

*    Toby  as  we  drove  through  it.     "  There  bees  no  streets 

paved  with  gold,  and  no  Lord  Mayor  in  a  gold  coach, — 

only  bricks  and  mortar  and  people  running  about  in  a 

precious  hurry." 

Captain  CoUyer  had  desired  that  I  should  come  down 
by  the  coach  to  the  George  at  Portsmouth,  where  he 
would  send  his  cockswain  to  meet  me,  and  take  me  to 
the  tailor,  who  would  make  my  uniform  —  a  part  of  my 
outfit  which  our  country  town  had  been  unable  to  sup- 
ply- 

It  was  a  bright  summer  morning  when  my  father  ac- 
companied us  to  Piccadilly,  whence  the  Portsmouth 
coach  started. 

"  Cheer  up,  ai.  1  don't  forget  your  name,  Marmaduke," 


12  MARMADUKE    llERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

he  said,  wringing  my  hand  as  I  was  climbing  on  to  the 
front  seat.  He  nodded  kindly  to  Toby,  who  followed 
me  closely.  "  Don't  you  forget  to  look  after  the  young 
master,  boy,"  he  added. 

"  Noa,  squire,  while  I's  got  fists  at  the  end  of  my 
arms,  I  won't,  answered  Toby. 

"  All  right,"  shouted  the  guard,  and  the  coach  drove 
off. 

I  found  myself  seated  by  a  tall  man  with  a  huge  red 
nose,  like  the  beak  of  an  eagle,  a  copper  complexion, 
jet-black  piercing  eyes,  and  enormous  black  bushy 
whiskers.  He  looked  down  at  me,  I  thought,  with  in- 
effable contempt.  His  clothes  Avere  of  blue  cloth,  and 
his  hands,  which  were  very  large  and  hairy,  were 
marked  on  the  back  with  strange  devices,  among  which 
I  observed  an  anchor,  a  ship,  and  a  fish,  which  made  me 
suspect  that  he  must  be  a  nautical  character  of  some 
sort.  He  addressed  the  coachman  and  the  passenger  on 
the  box-seat  several  times  in  a  wonderfully  loud  gruff 
voice,  but  as  they  showed  by  their  answers  that  they 
were  not  inclined  to  enter  into  conversation  with  him, 
he  at  last  turned  his  attention  to  me. 

'•  Why  are  you  going  down  to  Portsmouth,  little  boy  ?  " 
he  asked,  in  a  tone  I  did  not  like. 

"  I  suppose  because  I  want  to  get  there,"  I  answered. 

"  Ho  !  ho  !  ho  !  "  His  laugh  was  like  the  bellowing 
of  a  bull.     "  Going  to  sea,  I  fancy,"  he  remarked. 

"  Yes,  going  to  see  Portsmouth,"  said  I,  quietly,  "  if  I 
keep  my  eyes  open." 

"  Ho  !  ho  I  sharp  as  a  needle,  I  see,"  observed  the 
biir  num. 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  13 

"  Sharpness  runs  in  the  family,"  I  replied.  We  were 
well  up  to  this  sort  of  repartee  among  each  other  at 
home. 

"  Your  name  is  Sharp,  I  suppose,"   said  my  friend. 

"  No,  only  my  nature,  like  a  currant  or  a  sour  goose- 
berry," I  replied,  not  able  to  help  laughing  myself. 

"  Take  care,  youngster,  you  don't  get  wounded  with 
your  own  weapon,"  said  the  big  man. 

"  Thank  you,"  I  answered,  "  but  I  am  not  a  tailor." 

"  No  —  ho,  ho,  ho,  -^  perhaps  not ;  but  you  ax"e  little 
more  than  the  ninth  part  of  a  man,"  said  the  giant. 

"  The  ninth  part  of  you,  you  mean  ;  but  I  am  half  as 
big  as  most  men  now,  and  hope  to  be  a  whole  man  some 
day,  and  a  captain  into  the  bargain." 

"  Then  I  take  it  you  are  that  important  character,  a 
new  fledged  midshipman,"  observed  my  huge  com- 
panion. 

"Judging  of  you  by  your  size,  I  should  suppose  on 
the  same  grounds  that  you  are  nothing  less  than  an 
admiral,"  I  retorted. 

"  I  should  be,  if  I  had  my  deserts,  boy,"  he  replied, 
drawing  himself  up,  and  swelling  out  his  chest. 

"  Then  are  you  only  a  captain  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  I  once  was,  boy,"  he  replied,  with  a  sigh  which  re- 
sembled the  rumbling  of  a  volcano. 

"  Captain  of  the  main-top,"  said  the  gentleman  on  the 
box,  without  turning  round. 

"  What  are  you  now,  then,"  I  asked. 

"  A  boatswain,"  uttered  the  gentleman  on  the  box. 

"  Yes,  young  gentleman,  as  our  friend  there  says,  I 
am  a  boatswain,"  he  exclaimed  in  a  voice  of  thunder ; 
2 


14  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN* 

and  a  very  important  person  is  a  boatswain  on  board 
ship,  let  me  tell  you,  with  his  call  at  his  mouth,  and  colt 
in  his  hand,  as  your  silent  companion  there  will  very 
soon  find  out,  for  I  presume,  by  the  cut  of  his  jib,  that 
he  is  not  a  midshipman." 

"  And  what  is  a  boatswain  on  board  ship,"  I  asked, 
with  unfeigned  simplicity. 

"  Every  thing  from  truck  to  kelson,  I  may  say,  is 
under  his  charge,"  he  replied  consequentially.  "  He  has 
to  look  after  masts,  spars,  rigging,  sails,  cables,  anchors, 
and  stores ;  to  see  that  the  men  are  kept  under  pi-oper 
discipline,  and  make  them  smart  aloft.  In  my  opinion 
a  man-of-war  might  do  without  her  captain  and  lieuten- 
ants, but  would  be  no  man-of-war  without  her  boat- 
swain." 

The  gentleman  on  the  box  laughed  outright,  but  the 
boatswain  took  no  notice  of  it.  I  began  to  think,  in 
spite  of  his  coarseness,  that  he  must  be  a  very  important 
personage,  and  probably  I  showed  this  in  my  manner, 
for  he  went  on  enlarging  on  liis  own  importance. 

"  I  tell  you,  young  gentleman,  it's  my  belief  that  I 
have  been  round  the  world  oftener,  and  seen  more 
strange  sights,  than  any  man  living." 

"  I  should  like  to  hear  some  of  your  adventures,"  I 
said. 

"  I  dare  say  you  would,  and  if  you  like  to  pay  me  a 
visit  on  board  the  Doris  frigate,  and  will  inquire  for  Mr. 
Jonathan  Johnson,  the  boatswain,  I  shall  be  happy  to 
see  you,  and  to  enlighten  your  mind  a  little." 

"  Why,  that  is  the  ship  I  am  going  to  join,"  I  ex- 
claimed ;  "  didn't  Captain  CoUyer  tell  you  ?  " 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  15 

"  No,  he  has  not  as  yet  communicated  that  important 
matter  to  me,"  answered  Mr.  Jonathan  Johnson,  twist- 
ing his  huge  nose  in  a  comical  way.  "  But  give  us 
your  tiipper,  my  hearty,  —  we  are  to  be  shipmates  it 
seems.  I  like  you  for  your  dauntless  tongue ;  if  you've 
a  spirit  to  match,  you'll  do,  and  I  promise  you  that 
you  shall  some  day  hear  what  you  shall  hear." 

The  coach  stopped  at  the  George.  A  seaman,  who 
announced  himself  as  Sam  Edkins,  Captain  Collyer's 
cockswain,  came  up,  and  touching  his  hat  respectfully  to 
Mr.  Johnson,  helped  me  off  the  coach. 

"  Well,  Edkins,  have  all  the  officers  joined  yet  ? " 
asked  the  boatswain. 

"  All  but  the  second  lieutenant ;  he's  expected  aboard 
to-day,  sir,"  was  the  answer. 

"  What's  his  name,  Edkins  ?  I  hope  he's  not  a  King's 
hard  bargain,  like  some  lieutenants  I  have  fallen  in 
with,  within  the  last  hundi-ed  years,"  said  Mr.  John- 
son. 

"  No,  sir ;  he's  no  hard  bargain,"  answered  Edkins. 
"  I  heard  the  captain  say  his  name  is  Bryan,  the  same 
officer  who,  with  twenty  hands,  cut  out  a  French  brig 
of  seven  guns  and  ninety  men  the  other  day  in  the  West 
Indies." 

"  AU  right ;  he'll  do  for  us,"  observed  Mr.  Johnson, 
with  a  patronizing  air.  "  By  the  by,  Edkins,  have  you 
received  any  directions  about  this  boy  ?  " 

"  No,  sir ;  only  that  he  was  to  go  aboard  at  once." 

"  Very  well,  then,  I'll  take  him.  Come,  youngster  — 
what's  your  name?" 

"  Please,  sir,  it  be  Tobias   Bluff" ;  but    I   be   called 


16  MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

Toby  most  times,"  answered  my  young  follower,  evi- 
dently awe-struck  with  the  manner  and  appeai-ance  of 
Mr.  Johnson.  Not  an  inch  did  he  move,  however,  from 
my  side. 

"  Come  along,  boy,"  cried  the  boatswain  in  a  thun- 
dering tone  which  might  have  been  heard  half  down  the 
High  Street. 

"  Noa,"  said  Toby,  looking  up  undauntedly  at  him ; 
"  I  has  a  said  I'd  stick  to  the  young  squire,  and  I'll  no 
budge  from  his  side,  no,  not  if  you  bellows  louder  than 
Farmer  Dobb's  big  bull." 

Never  had  the  boatswain  been  thus  bearded  by  a 
ship's  boy.  His  black  eyes  flashed  fire  —  his  nose  grew 
redder  than  ever,  and  seizing  him  by  the  collar  of  his 
jacket,  he  would  have  cai-ried  him  off  in  Ids  talons,  as 
an  eagle  does  a  leveret,  had  not  Edkins  and  I  inter- 
fered. 

"  You  see,  Mr.  Johnson,  the  boy  has  the  hay-seed  in 
his  hair,  and  doesn't  know  who  you  are,  or  any  thing 
about  naval  discipline,"  observed  the  cockswain.  "  If 
you'd  let  him  stay  with  the  young  gentleman,  I'll  just 
put  him  up  to  a  thing  or  two,  and  bring  him  aboard  by 
and  by." 

Mr.  Johnson,  who  was  really  not  an  ill-natured  man, 
agreed  to  this,  remarking,  "  Mind,  boy,  the  king  is  a 
great  man  ashore,  but  I'm  a  greater  afloat  —  ho,  ho, 
ho,"  and  away  he  walked  down  the  street  to  the  Point. 

The  pa.<3enger  who  had  had  the  box  seat,  was  stand- 
ing near  all  the  time.  "  He'll  find  that  there's  a  greater 
man  than  he  is  on  board,  if  he  overstays  his  leave,"  I 
heard  him  remark  witli  a  laugh,  as  he  entered  the  inn. 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  17 

He  was  a  slight,  active  joung  man,  with  a  pleasant 
countenance. 

"  That's  our  second  lieutenant,  Mr.  Bryan,"  said  Ed- 
kins  to  me.  "  I  saw  his  name  on  his  portmanteau.  He 
must  have  thought  the  boatswain  a  rum  'un." 

Captain  CoUyer's  tailor  lived  close  at  hand,  so  I  went 
there  at  once,  and  he  promised  to  have  a  suit  ready  for 
me  by  the  following  morning. 

Edkins  told  me  I  was  to  dine  with  the  captain  at  tht 
George,  and  to  sleep  there.  He  proposed  that  we 
should  walk  about  in  the  interval,  and  I  employed  part 
of  the  time  in  comforting  Toby,  persuading  him  to  ac- 
company the  cockswain  on  board  the  frigate  without 
me. 

"We  had  just  got  outside  the  Southsea-gate,  when 
passing  a  fruit-stall,  I  saw  a  little  boy,  while  the  old 
woman  who  kept  the  stall  was  looking  another  way,  sur- 
reptitiously abstract  several  apples  and  make  off  with 
them.  She  turned  at  the  moment,  and  observed  the 
deed. 

"  Come  back,  ye  little  thieving  spalpeen,"  she  cried 
angrily,  rising  and  making  sail  in  chase.  She  was  very 
stout,  and  filled  out  with  petticoats  on  either  side.  The 
wind  was  very  strong  from  the  south-west,  and,  knowing 
that  it  is  easier  to  sail  with  a  fair  wind  than  a  foul,  off 
darted  the  little  boy  before  it  over  Southsea  common. 
He,  however,  compared  to  the  old  lady,  was  like  a  brig 
to  a  seventy-four,  with  the  studding-sails  set  alow  and 
aloft,  and  she,  with  her  wide-expanded  figure  propelled 
onward,  was  rapidly  gaining  on  the  apple-loving  culprit. 
She  would  have  caught  him  to  a  certainty.     Toby  and 


18  MAiniAm'KE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAK. 

I  and  Edkins  ran  on  to  see  the  result.  An  old  admifal 
(so  P2dkins  told  me  he  was),  taking  his  constitutional, 
stopped,  highly  enjoying  the  fun.  He  observed  the 
cause  of  old  Molly's  rapid  pi'Ogress.  His  sympathies 
were  excited  for  the  urchin. 

"  Try  her  on  a  wind,  boy ;  try  her  on  a  wind,"  he 
shouted,  giving  way  to  his  feelings  in  loud  laughter. 

The  boy  took  the  hint,  and  coming  about  darted  off 
to  the  westward.  Molly  attempted  to  follow,  but  her 
breath  failed  her  ;  the  hitherto  favoring  gale  blew  her 
back,  and  with  anathemas  on  the  head  of  the  culjjrit, 
she  gave  up  the  pursuit,  and  returned  panting  to  her 
stall. 

"  There's  the  price  of  your  apples,  Molly,"  said  the 
admiral,  as  he  passed,  handing  her  a  sixpence.  "  You 
have  gained  it  for  the  fun  you  have  afforded  me." 

"  That  "ere  little  chap  Avill  come  to  the  gallows  some 
day,  if  he  goes  on  like  that,"  was  the  comment  made  by 
Toby. 

"  That's  true,  boy,"  observed  Edkins.  "  People  are 
apt  to  forget,  if  they  are  amused,  whether  a  thing  is 
right  or  wrong ;  white's  white,  and  black's  black,  what- 
ever you  choose  to  call  them." 

I  felt  very  sure,  from  what  I  saw  of  Edkins,  that  he 
would  take  good  care  of  Toby.  He  left  me  at  the 
George.  The  captain  came  at  last.  He  was  a  broad- 
shouldered,  thick-set  man,  not  very  tall,  but  with  fair 
hair  and  a  most  ))leasant  expression  of  countenance. 
Frank,  lionest,  and  kind-hearted  I  was  certain  he  was 
He  reminded  me  of  my  father,  except  ihat  the  squire 
had  a  fresh   and  he  had  a  thoroughly  salt-water  look 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  19 

about  him.  We  were  joined  at  dinner  by  several  offi- 
cers, and  among  others  by  my  fellow-passenger,  .Avho 
proved,  as  Edkins  suspected,  to  be  Mr.  Bryan,  the 
second  lieutenant  of  the  Doris.  He  amused  the  com- 
pany very  much  by  an  account  of  Mr.  Johnson's  con- 
versation with  me.  ^ 

"  He  is  a  very  extraordinary  fellow,  that,"  said  the 
captain.  "  He  is  a  first-rate  seaman,  and  thoroughly' 
trustworthy  in  all  professional  matters  ;  but  I  never 
met  his  equal  for  drawing  the  long  bow.  I  knew  him 
when  I  was  a  lieutenant,  and  could  listen  to  his 
yarns." 

The  party  laughed  heartily  at  my  account  of  the  old 
apple-woman  and  the  little  boy,  and  I  felt  wonderfully 
at  my  ease  among  so  many  big-wigs,  and  began  to  fancy 
myself  a  personage  of  no  small  importance.  After  din- 
ner, however,  Mr.  Bryan  called  me  aside.  "  I  must 
give  you  a  piece  of  advice,  j'oungster.  I  overheard 
your  contest  of  wit  with  the  boatswain,  and  I  remarked 
the  way  you  spoke  to  your  superior  officers  at  dinner. 
You  are  now  in  plain  clothes,  and  the  Captain's  guest, 
but  do  not  pfesume  on  their  present  freedom.  You 
will  find  the  drawing-room  and  the  quarter-deck  very 
diffiirent  places.  Sharpness  and  wit  are  very  well  at 
times,  but  modesty  is  never  out  of  place."  I  thanked 
Mr.  Bryan,  and  promised  to  remember  his  advice. 

The  next  day,  with  the  assistance  of  the  tailor,  I  got- 
into  my  uniform,  and,  after  I  had  had  a  little  time  to 
admire  myself,  and  to  wish  that  my  mother  and  sisters 
could  see  me,  Edkins  appeared  to  take  me  and  my  traps 
on  board.    The  frigate  had  gone  out  to  Spithead,  where 


20  MARMADUKE    MEKRT,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

one  of  England's  proud  fleets  wus  coUecled.  The  gig 
was^waiting  at  the  point.  I  stepped  into  her  with  as 
much  dignity  as  I  could  command  and  we  pulled  out  of 
the  harbor.  When  we  got  into  the  tide-way  the  boat 
began  to  bob  about  a  good  deal.  I  felt  very  queer. 
"  Edkins,  is  this  what  you  call  a  storm  ?  "  I  asked,  wish- 
ing the  boat  would  be  quiet  again. 

"  Yes,  in  a  wash-tub,  Mister  Merry.  As  like  a  storm 
as  a  torn-tit  is  to  an  albatross,"  he  answered. 

My  astonislnnent  at  finding  myself  among  the  line-of- 
battle  ships  at  Spitliead  was  very  great.  What  huge 
floating  castles  they  appeared  —  what  crowds  of  human 
beings  there  were  on  board,  swarming  in  every  direc- 
tion, like  ants  round  their  nest.  In  a  few  moments  a 
wonderful  expansion  of  my  ideas  took  place.  Even  our 
tight  little  frigate,  as  I  had  heard  her  called,  looked  an 
enormous  monster  when  we  pulled  alongside,  and  the 
shrill  whistle  and  stentorian  voice  of  the  boatswain 
sounded  in  my  eai's  as  if  the  creature  was  warning  us 
to  keep  off",  and  I  thought,  if  it  began  to  move,  that  we 
should,  to  a  cei'tainty,  be  crushed.  However,  I  man- 
aged to  climb  up  the  side,  and  as  I  saw 'Edkins  touch 
his  hat  to  a  tall  thin  gentleman  in  uniform,  with  a  spy- 
glass under  his  arm,  and  say,  "  Come  aboard,  sir ; "  I 
touched  mine,  and  said,  "  Come  aboard,  sir." 

"  All  right,"  said  Edkins,  as  he  passed  me.  "  That 
is  the  first  lieutenant." 

He  did  not  take  much  notice  of  me  ;  but  soon  after- 
wards IMr.  Bryan  a|)peared  and  shook  hands  with  me, 
and  told  him  tliat  I  was  a  new  midshipman,  a  ft-iend  of 
the  captain's,  and  was  very  kind  ;  and  after  a  little  time 


MABMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  21 

he  called  another  midshipman,  and  desired  him  to  take 
me  down  to  the  berth  and  to  introduce  me  to  our  mess- 
mates. My  conductor  was  a  gaunt,  red-haired  lad,  who 
had  shoved  his  legs  and  arms  too  far  into  his  trowsers 
and  jacket.  He  did  not  seem  well  pleased  with  the 
duty  imposed  on  him.  I  followed  him  down  one  flight 
of  steps,  when  I  saw  huge  cannon  on  either  side,  and 
then  down  another  into  almost  total  darkness ;  and 
though  he  seemed  to  find  his  way  very  well,  I  had  no 
little  difficulty  in  seeing  where  he  was  going.  He 
stopped  once  and  said,  "  What's  your  name,  young- 
ster ?  "  I  told  him,  and  turning  to  the  right  he  caught 
me  by  the  collar  and  shoved  me  through  a  door  among 
a  number  of  young  men  and  boys,  exclaiming,  in  a 
croaking  voice, 

"  Here's  Master  Marmaduke  Merry  come  to  be  one 
of  us  ;  treat  him  kindly  for  his  mother's  sake." 

Having  thus  satisfactorily  fulfilled  his  mission  he  dis- 
appeared. 

"  Sit  down,  boy,  and  make  yourself  at  home,"  said  an 
oldish  man- with  gray  hair,  from  the  other  end  of  the 
table. 

"  Thank  you,  as  soon  as  I  can  see  where  to  sit,"  said 
I ;  "  but  you  don't  indulge  in  an  over-abundance  of 
light  down  here." 

"  Ha,  ha,  ha !  Make  room  for  Marmaduke,  some  of 
you  youngsters  there,"  exclaimed  the  old  mate,  for  such 
I  found  he  was,  and  caterer  of  the  mess.  "  Remember 
your  manners,  will  you,  and  be  polite  to  strangers." 

"  But  he  is  not  a  stranger,"  said  a  boy  near  me. 

"  Yes,  he  is,  till  he  has  broken  biscuit  with  us,"  said 


22  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

old  Perigal.  "  That  reminds  me  that  you  are  perhaps 
hungry,  youngster.  We've  done  tea,  but  we  shall  have 
the  grog  and  the  bread  on  the  table  shortly.  We  divide 
them  equally.  You  youngsters  have  as  much  to  eat  as 
you  like  of  the  one,  weevils  and  all,  and  we  to  drink  of 
the  other.  It's  the  rule  of  the  mess,  like  the  laws  of 
the  Medes  and  Persians,  not  to  be  broken.  However, 
we  will  allow  Merry  a  small  quantity  to-night,  as  it  is 
his  first  on  board  ship,  but  after  that,  remember,  no 
infraction  of  the  laws  ; "  and  old  Perigal  held  up  a 
weapon  which  he  drew  from  his  pocket,  and  with  which, 
I  found,  he  was  wont  to  enforce  his  commands  in  the 
bertli. 

His  system  worked  pretty  well,  and  it  kept  the 
youngsters  from  falling  into  that  most  pernicious  of 
practices,  spirit  drinking,  and  the  oldsters  were  too  well 
seasoned  to  be  injured  by  the  double  allowance  they 
thereby  obtained. 

Altogether  I  was  well  pleased  with  my  reception,  and 
I  fancy  my  new  shipmates  were  pleased  with  me.  My 
great  difficulty  at  first  was  finding  my  way  about,  for  as 
to  which* was  the  head  or  after  part  of  the  shij)  I  had 
not  the  slightest  notion,  and  the  direction  I  received  to 
go  aft  or  go  forward  conveyed  no  idea  to  my  mind. 

As  I  was  groping  my  way  about  the  lower  deck,  I 
saw  what  I  took  to  be  a  glimmering  light  in  a  recess, 
when  a  roaring  voice  said,  "  Ho,  ho!  Mr.  Merry,  what 
—  have  you  come  to  see  me  ?  Welcome  aboard  the 
Doris."  Tlie  light  was  tiie  nose,  and  the  voice  that  of 
Jonathan  .Tohnson  the  l)oatswain. 

I  thanked  him,  and,  guessing  it  would  please  him,  told 


MARMADUKE    MEKRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  23 

him  that  I  sliould  hold  him  to  his  promise  of  recounting 
his  adventures. 

"  Time  enough  when  we  get  into  blue  water,  Mr. 
Merry.  Under  present  circumstances,  with  every  thing 
to  do,  and  nobody  fit  to  do  it  but  myself ;  for  you  see, 
Mr.  Merry,  the  gunner  and  carpenter  are  little  better 
than  nonentities,  as  you  will  find  out  some  day ;  I  have 
barely  time  to  eat  my  necessary  meals,  much  less  to 
talk." 

I  told  him  that  I  should  anxiously  look  forward  to  a 
fitting  time  for  the  expected  treat,  and  asked  him  where 
I  could  find  Toby  Bluff. 

"  You  shall  see  hira  in  a  jiffy,"  he  answered ;  and  he 
bellowed  out,  "Boy  Bluff!  Boy  Bluff!  send  aft  boy 
Bluff!  " 

The  same  words  were  repeated  in  various  hoarse 
tones,  and  in  less  than  a  minute  Toby  came  running  up. 
He  had  had  the  advantage  of  a  day's  experience  on 
board,  and  had  wonderfully  soon  got  into  the  ways  of 
the  ship. 

When  he  saw  me  he  shouted  with  joy. 

"  I  did  think,  Measter  Marmaduke,  you  never  would 
a  coome,"  he  exclaimed.  "  But  it's  all  right  now,  and 
my  —  what  a  strange  place  this  bees.  Not  a  bit  loike 
the  hall,  though  there's  plenty  o'  beef  here  for  dinner, 
but  it's  main  tough,  and  the  bread  for  all  the  world's 
like  old  tiles." 

"  Be  thankful  you  haven't  to  live  on  grind-stones  and 
mai-lin-spikes,  as  I  once  had  for  a  whole  month,  with 
nothing  but  bilge-water  to  wash  'em  down,"  grovvded  out 
the  boatswain,  who  heard  the  observation. 


24  MABMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

As  he  had  told  me  that  he  had  not  time  to  talk,  I  did 
not  ask  him  how  this  had  liappened. 

I  might  prolong  indefinitely  my  account  of  my  first 
days  on  board  ship.  I  gradually  found  myself  more  and 
more  at  home,  till  I  began  to  fancy  that  I  must  be  of  some 
use  on  board.  No  one  could  be  kinder  than  was  Cap- 
tain Collyer,  and  he  was  constantly  employing  me  in  a 
variety  of  ways  in  which  he  thought  I  could  be  trusted. 
One  day  he  sent  for  me,  and  giving  me  a  letter,  ordered 
me  to  take  it  on  board  the  flag-ship,  and  to  deliver  it  in 
person  to  Captain  Bumpus,  the  flag-captain.  I  knew 
Captain  Bumpus,  because  he  had  been  one  of  our  dinner 
party  at  the  George,  and  I  remembered  that  he  had 
laughed  complacently  at  my  stories.  He  was,  however, 
very  pompous,  not  a  little  conceited,  and  a  great  dandy, 
and  I  cannot  say  that  I  had  felt  any  great  respect  for 
him. 

We  had  discussed  him  in  the  berth,  and  the  opinion 
was  that  he  was  sWeet  on  one  of  the  admiral's  daughters. 
At  all  events  he  was  a  bachelor,  and  having  lately  made 
some  prize  money,  he  was  supposed  to  be  looking  out 
for  a  wife  to  help  him  spend  it.  Moreover  it  was 
whispered  that  he  wore  a  wig,  but  this  he  strenuously 
denied.  Being  very  fond  of  talking  of  the  necessity  he 
was  under  of  having  to  go  and  get  his  hair  cut,  till  it 
became  a  common  remark  that  though  Captain  Bumpus 
got  his  hair  cut  oftcner  than  any  one  else,  it  never 
appeared  shorter. 

I  stepped  into  the  second  gig,  and  as  Edkins  went 
with  me  to  steer  the  boat,  I  had  no  diJiiculty  in  getting 
alongside  the  flag-ship.     As  we  pulled  under  the  stern, 


MARMADITKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  25 

I  saw  several  ladies  looking  out  from  a  stern  gallery, 
which  Edkins  told  me  belonged  to  the  admiral's  cabin. 
I  found  my  way  on  deck,  and  touching  my  hat  to  the 
mate  of  the  deck,  announced  my  errand. 

"  Come,  I'll  show  you,"  he  said,  seeing  that  I  hesi- 
tated which  way  to  turn,  and  he  led  me  up  first  to  one 
deck  and  then  to  another,  and  then  he  pointed  to  a  door 
at  which  a  sentry  was  standing,  and  told  me  to  go  in 
there.  I  found  four  or  five  officers  in  the  after  cabin 
waiting  to  see  Captain  Bumpus,  who  was  dressing,  I 
collected  from  their  conversation. 

Presently  a  frizzled  out  Frenchman,  the  very  cut  of 
a  stage  barber  (a  refugee,  I  heard  afterwards),  entered 
the  cabin  with  a  freshly-dressed  wig  on  a  block. 

"  Monsieur  de  Captain  tell  me  to  bring  his  vig  and 
put  it  in  his  cabin.  1  do  so  vid  your  permission,  gentle- 
men," he  observed,  as  he  placed  it  on  the  table,  and 
with  a  profound  bow  took  his  departure. 

The  story  went  that  Captain  Bumpus,  who  was  fond 
of  good  living,  had  only  lately  fallen  in  with  poor  Pierre 
Grenouille,  and  had  concluded  a  bargain  on  which  he 
prided  himself  exceedingly.  Ostensibly  Pierre  was 
engaged  to  dress  his  dinners,  but  privately  to  dress  his 
hair,  or  rather  his  wigs. 

There  was  a  general  titter  among  the  officers,  in  which 
I  heartily  joined. 

Suddenly,  before  we  had  time  to  compose  our  features, 
a  door  on  one  side  opened,  and  Captain  Bumpus  ap- 
peared in  full  fig,  with  his  sword  under  his  arm,  and  his 
cocked  hat  in  band,  looking  self-satisfied  in  the  extreme. 
3 


26  MARMAI)l-KK    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

He  Started  when  he  saw  the  wig-hlock  and  wig,  the  fac- 
simile of  the  one  he  wore  on  his  head. 

"  What's  that  ?  "  he  exclaimed,  in  a  voice  hoarse  with 
rage.     "  Who  put  it  there  ?  " 

No  one  answered,  and  dashing  down  his  hat,  he  seizt-il 
the  wig-block  and  wig,  and  with  an  exclamation  of  anger 
threw  them  overboard. 

"  Xow  gentlemen,"  he  said,  turning  round  and  at- 
tempting to  be  calm,  "  what  is  it  you  have  to  say  ? 
Really  this  incident  may  seem  ridiculous,"  he  added, 
seeing  that  there  was  still  a  suppressed  titter  going  on, 
"  but  I  detest  the  sight  of  a  wig-block  since  —  you  know 
that  Highland  tragedy — " 

"  A  man  overboard  !  a  man  overboard  !  "  was  heard 
resounding  in  gruff  voices  from  above. 

"  Oh,  poor  man,  he  will  be  drowned,  he  will  be 
drowned,"  came  in  a  sharper  treble  from  the  admiral's 
cabin. 

I  heard  the  shrill  pipe  of  the  boatswain's  mate  as 
boats  were  being  lowered,  and  at  that  instant  into  the 
cabin  rushed  the  French  barber,  wringing  his  hands  in 
a  frantic  state,  and  exclaiming,  "  Oh  Captain,  your 
beautifid  vig,  your  beautiful  vig,  it  vill  all  be  spoilt,  it 
vill  all  be  spoilt." 

"  My  wig  !  "  shouted  Captain  Bumpus,  in  a  voice  of 
thunder.  "  My  wig,  you  anatomy,  you  mendacious  in- 
ventor of  outrageous  impossil)ilities.  Begone  out  of  the 
cabin,  out  of  the  ship,  overboard  with  you,  the  instant 
dinner  is  served  !  "  And  he  gave  the  unhappy  barber  a 
kick  which  sent  him  flying  across  the  after-cabin,  through 


MARMADUKE    MEKKV,    THE    JIIDSIIIPMAN.  27 

the  door  of  the  outer  one,  against  the  sentry,  who  was 
knocked  over,  and  soldier  and  barber  hiy  floundering 
and  kicking,  and  bawling  and  swearing,  in  their  native 
dialects,  amid  the  laughter  ot"  the  officers,  who  ran  to 
see  what  had  become  ot"  the  little  man,  and  the  shouts 
of  the  men  who  were  outside. 

Meantime  the  tide  was  running  strong,  and  the  wig- 
block  drifted  past  the  other  ships  of  the  fleet,  from  all 
of  which  boats  instantly  put  oif  in  chase.  They  were 
all  assembled  round  the  fatal  block,  and  the  bowman  of 
one,  more  fortunate  than  the  rest,  had  got  hold  of  it,  and 
held  it  up  amid  shouts  of  laughler,  when  a  boat  from 
the  flag-ship  arrived  and  claimed  the  prize. 

As  the  boat  returned  and  pulled  up  astern,  the  admi- 
ral shouted  out,  "  Have  you  got  the  poor  fellow  ?  " 

"  It  was'nt  a  man,  sir !  it  was  only  the  captain's  wig, 
sir,"  was  the  answer. 

"  The  captain's  what  ?  "  cried  the  admiral. 

"  Captain  Bumpus's  wig,  sir,"  shouted  the  bowman, 
as  he  held  it  up  for  inspection. 

"  Come  aboard  with  it,  then,"  answered  the  admiral, 
roaring  with  laughter,  for  he  richly  enjoyed  a  joke. 

I  heard  a  merry  giggle  in  the  stern  gallery.  Captain 
Bumpus  turned  pale  with  I'age  and  mortified  vanity.  1 
delivered  my  despatch,  to  which  he  said  he  would  send 
an  answer.  The  next  day  it  was  reported  that  he  had 
I'esigned  his  commission  and  gone  on  shore.  He  could 
not  bear  the  idea  that  the  whole  fleet  should  have  dis- 
covered he  wore  a  wig. 


28  MARMADCKK    JfERRr,    THE    MIDSHIPMAK. 


CHAPTER    II. 

Blue  Peter  had  been  for  ?orae  hours  flying  aloft, 
when  Jonathan  Johnson's  pipe,  sounding  along  the 
decks  with  a  shrillness  which  surpassed  the  keenest  of 
north-easterly  gales,  gave  the  expected  order,  which  his 
mates,  in  gruffest  of  gruff  tones,  bawled  out,  of "  All 
liands  up  anchor  ! "  In  an  instant  the  whole  ship  was 
in  an  uproar,  and  seemed  to  me  to  be  in  the  most  dire 
confusion.  Boatswain's  mates  were  shouting  and  bawl- 
ing, the  officers  hurrying  to  their  stations,  the  men  fly- 
ing here  and  there,  ^ome  aloft  to  loose  sails,  and  others  to 
halyards,  sheets,  and  braces.  I  must  own  that  I  did  not 
feel  myself  of  any  great  service  in  assisting  at  the  opera- 
tion going  forward,  but  I  ran  and  shouted  with  the  rest, 
and  as  the  men  passed  me  I  told  them  to  look  sharp, 
and  to  be  smart,  and  to  hurry  along;  but  what  they 
were  about  to  do,  I  was  utterly  unable  to  discover.  I 
met  Toljy  Bluff  hurrying  along,  looking  very  much 
scared  and  half  inclined  to  blubber.  I  asked  him  what 
was  the  matter. 

"  It's  the  big  man  with  the  rattan  (he  alluded  to  the 
ship's  corporal),  told  me  to  go  aft  to  the  poop,  and  stand 
by  the  mizen-topsail  halyards,"  he  exclaimed.     "  But, 

0  Master  Marmaduke,  where  they  be  it's  more  than 
my  seven  senses  can  tell.      What  shall  I  do?  what  shall 

1  do?" 

I  saw  some  othi-r  boys  running  aft,  so  I  advised  him 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  29 

to  go  where  they  went,  and  to  do  whatever  they  did.  I 
soon  afterwards  saw  him  hauling  away  sturdily  at  a 
rope,  and  thougli  he  tumbled  down  very  often,  he  was 
quickly  again  on  liis  feet.  The  tife  and  fiddle  were 
mean  time  sounding  merrily,  and,  as  with  cheerful 
tramp  the  men  pressed  round  the  capstan  bars,  the  an- 
chor was  speedily  run  up  to  the  bows.  What  the  lieu- 
tenant on  the  forecastle  could  mean  when  he  shouted  out, 
"  Man  the  cat-fall,"  I  could  not  divine,  till  I  saw  that 
some  of  the  crew  were  securing  the  stock  of  the  anchor  by 
means  of  a  tackle  to  a  stout  beam,  which  projected  over 
the  bows  of  the  ship.  "  Over  to  the  fish,"  next  shouted 
out  the  officer,  an  order  at  first  equally  inexplicable  to 
me,  till  I  saw  the  flukes  of  the  anchor  hauled  up  close  to 
the  bows,  —  fished,  as  it  is  called. 

The  sails  were  let  fall  and  sheeted  home,  braces 
hauled  taut,  and  the  Doris,  with  a  rattling  breeze,  under 
all  sail,  stood  through  the  Needle  Passage  and  down 
Channel.  Those  were  stirring  times.  The  cruisers  of 
the  various  nations  then  at  war  with  Old  England, 
swarmed  in  all  directions  ;  and  it  was  the  ardent  wish 
of  e\ery  one  on  boai'd  the  frigate,  from  the  captain 
down  to  my  small  self,  and  to  the  youngest  powder-mon- 
key, that  we  should  before  long  meet  an  enemy  worthy 
of  our  prowess.  A  sharp  look-out  was  kept  aloft  night 
and  day,  and  it  would  have  been  difficult  for  any  thing 
under  sail,  passing  witliin  the  circle  seen  from  our  main- 
truck  to  have  escaped  notice.  Captain  Collyer  also  did 
his  best  to  prepare  his  crew  for  an  encounter  whenever 
it  might  come,  and  the  men  were  kept  constantly  exer- 
cising at  the  great  guns  and  small  arms,  and,  for  a 
3* 


30  MAUMAIUKK    MKRRY,    THE    MIDSHIl'MAN. 

cliangp.  at  sliortcniiiir  and  inakin<;  sail,  till  they  had  all 
learned  to  work  \v(dl  together.  I  was  all  this  time  rap- 
idly' pieking  up  a  fair  amount  of  niisct-llaneous  nautical 
knowledge,  partly  b}'  observation,  but  eliiefly  from  my 
mes-sraates.  and  from  Sam  Edkiii?,  the  eaptain's  coek- 
swain,  who  had,  as  he  said,  taking  a  liking  to  me. 

Mr.  Johnson,  the  boatswain,  at  times  condescended  to 
give  me  instruction.  "  At  present,  Mr.  Merry,  you'll 
observe,  and  I  say  it  with  perfect  respect,"  remarked  my 
friend,  "you're  like  a  sucking  babe,  an  unfledged  spar- 
row, a  squid  on  dry  ground  —  you're  of  no  use  to  no- 
body, and  rather  want  somebody  to  look  after  you,  and 
keep  you  out  of  harm.  AVhen  you've  been  to  sea  as 
many  years  as  I  have,  if  you  keep  your  eyes  oi)en,  you'll 
begin  to  find  out  what's  what." 

I  confess  that  these  observations  of  the  boatswain  were 
calculated  to  make  me  feel  rather  small.  However,  I 
was  not  offended,  and  I  often  managed  to  pay  Mr.  Jona- 
than back  in  his  own  coin,  which  made  him  like  me  all 
the  more.  A  great  contrast  to  him  in  character  was 
the  eaptain's  steward,  Billy  Wise.  Billy  had  been  to 
sea  all  his  life,  but  no  training  could  make  a  sailor  of 
him.  He  was  devoted  to  the  captain,  whom  he  had  fol- 
lowed from  ship  to  ship,  and  who  took  him,  I  truly  be- 
lieve, from  pure  compassion,  because  no  one  else  would 
have  had  iiim.  He  was,  however,  a  faithful  fellow,  and 
I  am  ((iliiin  would  have  done  any  thing  to  serve  his 
captain. 

Captain  C'oUyer  used  to  have  some  of  the  youngsters 
into  his  cabin  to  learn  navigation.  I  liked  this  very 
much,  and  studied  hard ;  for,  as  I  had  come  to  sea  to  be 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  31 

a  sailor,  I  wislied  to  be  a  good  one.  Several  of  us  were 
seated  round  the  table  one  day,  when  the  steward  made 
his  appearance. 

"  How  is  the  wind,  Wise?"  asked  the  captain. 

"  Some  says  it's  east,  and  some  says  it's  west,  Captain 
Collyer,"  was  the  satisfactory  answer. 

"  And  which  way  do  you  say  it  is  ? "  inquired  his 
master. 

"  Whichever  way  you  please,  sir,"  replied  the  steward, 
pulling  a  lock  of  his  hair. 

Even  the  presence  of  our  captain  could  scarcely  pre- 
vent us  youngsters  from  bursting  into  a  roar  of  laughter. 
This  was  surpassed,  however,  by  an  Irish  midshipman, 
an  old  shipmate  of  mine,  who,  when  undergoing  his 
examination  ibr  navigation,  and  was  asked,  whether  the 
sun  went  round  the  earth,  or  the  earth  round  the  sun, 
looked  up  with  perfect  confidence,  and  unhesitatingly 
replied,  — 

"  Faith,  gentlemen,  it's  sometimes  one  and  sometimes 
the  other." 

He  was  very  much  surprised  at  being  turned  back. 
He,  however,  afterwards  managed  to  pass,  but  whether 
it  was  because  the  examining  officers  wei'e  not  quite 
confident  as  to  the  exact  state  of  the  case  themselves, 
and  therefore  did  not  push  the  question,  or  that  he  had 
iu  the  mean  time  gained  the  required  inlbrmation,  I  do 
not  now  remember. 

Captain  Collyer  was  accustomed  to  Billy's  eccentric- 
ities. They  were  sometimes  inconvenient.  One  day, 
we  fell  in  with  a  line-of-battle  ship,  and  our  captain  had 
to  go  on  board  to  |)ay  his  respects  to  his  superior  officer. 


32  MARilADCJKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

As  he  was  hurriedly  leaving  his  cabin  he  called  for  hia 
cocked  hat. 

"  Your  hat,  Captain  Collyer  —  your  hat,  sir,"  ejacu- 
lated Billy  Wise,  in  a  state  of  great  trepidation,  —  "  it's 
all  safe,  sir.  It  druve  ashore  at  Hurst,  as  we  was  com- 
ing through  the  Needle  Passage,  and  some  of  the 
sodgers  at  the  castle  picked  it  up." 

Poor  Billy  had  been  brushing  the  hat  at  a  port  with 
too  great  vehemence,  and  sent  it  flying  overboard.  He 
might  possibly  have  seen  something  dark  floating  toward 
Hurst,  and  his  shipmates,  who  were  always  practising 
on  his  credulity,  probably  persuaded  him  that  it  was  the 
captain's  hat.  Many  captains,  in  those  days,  would 
have  given  him  a  couple  of  dozen,  or  put  him  on  nine- 
water  grog  for  a  month.  Captain  Collyer  very  soon 
forgot  all  about  the  matter,  except  when  he  told  the 
story  as  a  good  joke.  On  the  present  occasion  he  had 
to  borrow  a  cocked  hat ;  and  it  was  not  till  we  had  been 
in  action,  and  one  of  the  officers  was  killed,  that  he 
could  get  fitted  with  one  of  his  own. 

The  captain  had  a  goat,  which  was  a  source  of  much 
amusement  to  us  youngsters,  and  of  annoyance  to  Mr. 
Lukyn,  the  first  lieutenant ;  for,  as  if  aware  that  she 
did  belong  to  the  captain,  she  made  no  scruple  of  invad- 
ing the  quarter-deck,  and  soiling  its  purity.  One  day, 
my  first  acquaintance  on  board  —  the  tall,  gaunt  mid- 
shipman with  red  hair,  who,  by  the  by,  went  by  the 
name  of  Miss  Susan  —  with  two  or  three  other  young- 
sters and  I,  were  standing  on  our  side  of  the  deck,  when 
Nancy,  the  goat,  released  from  her  pen,  came  prancing 
up  to  us.     We,  as  usual,  made  grabs  at  her  horns  and 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  33 

tail,  and  somewhat  excited  her  temper.  Now,  she 
began  to  butt  at  us,  and  made  us  fly,  right  and  left. 
Miss  Susan  was  capsized,  and  sent  sprawling  on  the 
deck  ;  and  Nancy,  highly  delighted  at  her  victory, 
frisked  off  over  to  the  starboard  side,  where  Mr.  Lukyn, 
with  all  the  dignity  of  a  first  lieutenant,  was  walking  the 
deck  with  his  glass  under  his  arms.  Nancy,  either  mis- 
taking his  long  legs  for  the  stems  of  the  trees  and  shrubs 
of  her  native  hills,  or  wishing  to  repeat  the  experiment 
which  had  succeeded  so  well  with  regard  to  Miss  Susan, 
made  a  furious  butt  at  his  calves  while  he  was  walking 
aft,  unconscious  of  her  approach.  The  effect  must  have 
been  beyond  Nancy's  utmost  expectations,  as  it  was 
beyond  ours.  Our  gallant  first  never  appeared  very 
firm  on  his  pins,  and,  the  blow  doubling  his  knees,  down 
he  came,  stern  first,  on  the  deck  with  his  heels  in  the 
air,  while  the  goat,  highly  delighted  at  her  performance, 
and  totally  unconscious  of  her  gross  infraction  of  naval 
discipline,  frolicked  off  forward  in  search  of  fresh  adven- 
tures. 

Just  at  that' moment  up  came  Billy  "Wise  with  a  mes- 
sage from  the  captain. 

Now  Mr.  Lukyn  rarely  gave  way  to  anger,  but  this 
was  an  occasion  to  try  his  temper.  Picking  himself  up 
from  his  undignified  posture,  "  Hang  the  goat,"  he  ex- 
claimed in  a  loud  tone  ;  "  who  let  the  creature  loose?  " 

Billy  did  not  knoV,  but  having  delivered  his  message, 
away  he  went  forward  ;  while  we  endeavored  to  con- 
ceal, as  far  as  we  could,  the  fits  of  laughter  in  which  we 
were  indulging.  Miss  Susan's  real  name  was  Jacob 
Spellman. 


34  MARMADUKE    MEUUY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

Some  short  time  after  this,  I  was  going  along  the 
main-deck  with  hira,  when  we  found  the  captain'8  stew- 
ard very  bii*y  splicing  an  eye  in  a  rope,  close  to  the 
cattle-pen,  where  Nancy  had  her  abode.  "We  walked 
on  a  little  way,  and  then  turned  round  to  watch  hira. 
Having  formed  a  running  noose,  he  put  it  round  the 
goat's  neck,  and  dragged  her  out  of  the  pen.  lie  then 
got  a  tub  and  made  her  stand  upon  it  while  he  passed 
the  rope  over  a  hook  in  the  beam  above.  Hauling 
away  as  hard  as  he  could,  he  gave  the  tub  a  kick,  and 
there  hung  poor  Nancy,  in  a  most  uncomfortable  position, 
very  nearly  with  her  neck  dislocated  ;  but  as  he  had  not 
calculated  on  her  power  of  standing  on  her  hind  legs,  the 
result  he  expected  was  unaccomplished,  and  she  was  not 
altogether  deprived  of  life.  She  struggled,  however,  so 
violently,  that  she  would  very  soon  have  been  strangled 
had  not  old  Perigal,  who  was  mate  of  the  main-deck, 
come  up  and  seen  what  was  going  forward. 

"  Why,  man,  what  are  you  about  ?  "  he  exclaimed. 

"  Please,  sir,  I  be  hanging  the  goat,"  was  Billy's  re- 
ply. 

'*  Hanging  the  goat !  who  told  you  to  do  that  ?  "  in- 
quired Perigal. 

"  It  was  the  first  lieutenant,  sir.  She  knocked  him 
over  right  flat  on  the  deck,  and  so  he  told  me  to  go  and 
hang  her." 

"  Well,  you  are  a  precious ,"  exclaimed  the  old 

mate.  "  Let  free  the  beast,  and  thank  your  stars  that 
you  didn't  hang  her.  The  captain  is  a  wonderfully 
good-natured  m.>n,tiiere  can  be  no  doubt  of  it;  but  even 
he  wouldn't  have  stood  having  his  goat  hung." 


MAUMAUUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSIIirjIAX.  35 

Of  course,  I  do  not  dress  the  language  of  my  ship- 
mates with  the  expletives  in  which  many  of  them  were 
apt  to  indulge,  when  the  use  of  strange  oaths  and  swear- 
ing of  all  descriptions  was  more  common  than  even  at 
l)re.-:ent,  when  the  practice  would  be  more  honored  in 
the  breach  than  in  the  observance.  One  thing  I  must 
say,  I  never  lieard  our  gallant  captain  utter  an  oath  or 
abu*e  a  man,  during  tl.ie  whole  time  I  had  the  happiness 
of  serving  under  him,  and  a  braver,  more  spirited,  or 
more  sensible  man  never  trod  the  deck  of  a  man-of-war 
as  her  chief.  His  memory  is  dear,  not  only  to  all  those 
who  served  Avith  him,  but  to  all  of  high  or  low  degree 
who  knew  him  during  his  long  and  glorious  naval  ca- 
reer. His  manners  were  mild  and  gentle,  —  though  he 
had  an  abundance  of  humor  and  spirit.  He  could,  how- 
ever, when  he  thought  it  necessary,  speak  with  the 
gravest  severity  to  a  delinquent.  I  never  saw  any  man 
more  cool,  and  calm,  and  thoughtful  in  action.  It  may 
truly  be  said  of  him  that  in  battle  he  was  as  brave  as  a 
lion,  and  in  peace  as  gentle  as  a  lamb.  I  could  not 
resist  uttering  this  panegyric  on  our  well-loved  cap- 
tain. 

To  return  to  Billy  Wise  and  the  goat.  The  poor  ani- 
mal's life  was  saved,  though  she  had  a  strange  way  of 
stretching  out  her  neck  for  some  weeks  afterwards,  and 
always  gave  Billy  a  wide  berth  when  she  encountered 
him  in  her  rambles  about  the  decks. 

When  the  captain  heard  the  account,  instead  of  being 
angry,  he  laughed  heartily,  and  added  the  story  to  his 
batch  of  anecdotes. 

"I  must  do  something  with  that  poor  fellow,"  he  re- 


86  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

marked.  "  He  is  not  fit  to  be  made  Lord  Chief  Justice, 
I  fear." 

It  was  not  always  plain  sailing  with  me.  Spellman 
and  I  were  pretty  good  friends,  but  he  was  somewhat 
inclined  to  play  the  bully.  He  was  called  Miss  Susan 
simply  because  he  was  as  unlike  a  girl  as  a  great  awk- 
ward gawky  fellow,  with  red  hair  and  a  freckled  face, 
could  well  be. 

One  day,  as  I  was  going  along  the  lower-deck,  with  a 
message  to  old  Perigal,  who  was  attending  to  some  duty 
forward,  I  came  suddenly  on  Toby  Bluff,  whose  ear 
Spellman  had  seized,  while  with  his  heel,  he  was  bestow- 
ing sundry  hard  blows  on  the  corpus  of  my  sturdy  fol- 
lower, wlio  already  knew  enough  of  naval  discipline  to 
venture  on  retaliation.  Toby,  though  short,  was  as 
strong  as  a  lion,  and  could  have  hurled  him  to  the  deck 
if  he  had  dared.  This  made  Miss  Susan's  attack  all  the 
more  cowardly.  Wliat  Toby  had  done  to  give  offence 
I  did  not  stop  to  inquire.  My  anger  was  up  in  a  mo- 
ment. 

"  Let  go  the  boy,  Spellman  ; "  I  exclaimed,  "  you  shall 
not  strike  him  again." 

Toby  gained  little  by  this,  for  Miss  Susan  only  kicked 
him  the  harder ;  whereon,  uj)  I  rushed,  and  hit  my  tall 
messmate  a  blow  between  the  eyes,  which  made  light- 
ning flash  from  them,  I  suspect.  Spellman  instantly  let 
go  Toby  and  sjjrang  at  me.  I  stood  prepared  for  the 
onslaught.  Blinded  by  my  first  blow,  my  antagonist  hit 
out  at  random,  and  though  double  my  weight,  was  far 
from  getting  the  best  of  it.  While  we  were  thus  pleas- 
antly occupied,  Mv.  Lukyn,  with  the  sergeant-at-arms, 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  37 

was  going  his  rounds.  We  were  so  earnestly  engaged 
in  endeavoring  to  the  utmost  of  our  power  to  hurt  each 
otlier,  that  we  did  not  perceive  their  approach.  Toby 
knew  too  well  the  laws  of  British  pugilism  to  intei'fere, 
though  had  my  opponent  been  an  enemy  of  a  different 
nation,  and  had  we  been  engaged  in  mortal  combat,  I 
have  no  doubt  that  I  should  have  found  my  young  fol- 
lower an  able  supporter.  An  exclamation  from  Toby 
threw  Spellman  off  his  guard,  when  a  full  blow,  which 
I  planted  on  his  breast,  sent  him  reeling  back  into  the 
no  very  tender  clutches  of  old  Krause,  the  master-at- 
arms. 

"  What  is  this  about,  young  gentlemen  ?  "  exclaimed 
Mr.  Lukyn,  in  a  severe  tone.  "  Fighting  is  against  the 
articles  of  war." 

"  He  hit  me,  sir ; "  "  He  kicked  the  boy  Bluff,"  we 
both  exclaimed  in  the  same  breath. 

"  I  must  have  you  both  up  before  the  captain,  and 
ascertain  who  is  the  culprit,"  said  Mr.  Lukyn.  "  Mas- 
ter-at-arms, take  these  young  gentlemen  into  custody." 

I,  on  this,  represented  that  I  had  been  sent  on  a  mes- 
sage to  Mr.  Perigal,  and  was  allowed  to  go  and  deliver 
it.  While  I  was  absent,  Spellman  took  care  to  put  his 
case  in  the  best  light,  and  mine  in  the  worst.  In  about 
an  hour  we  were  both  taken  before  the  captain,  and  Toby 
was  summoned  as  a  witness.  For  fear  of  committing  me, 
he  was  only  puzzled  what  to  say. 

"  Speak  the  truth,  and  nothing  but  it,"  said  I,  boldly. 

The  captain  cast  a  look  of  approbation  on  me. 

Toby  frankly  confessed  that,  not  seeing  Mr.  Spellman, 
4 


38  MARMADUKE    MKKRY,    TIIF.    MIDSHII'MAN. 

lie  hail  run  against  him,  when  he  had  been  seized  by  the 
ear,  and  that  I,  coming  up,  had  taken  his  part. 

Toby  was  dismissed. 

"  Now,  young  gentlemen,  you  are  both  in  the  wrong," 
said  the  captain.  "  You,  Mr.  Spellman,  should  not  have 
struck  the  boy  for  his  heedlessness  ;  and  you,  Mr.  Merry, 
should  not  have  taken  the  law  into  your  own  hands. 
You  will  both  of  you  go  to  the  mast-head,  and  remain 
there  till  Mr,  Lukyn  calls  you  down  ;  Mr.  Merry  to  the 
ibremast,  Mr.  Spellman  to  the  mainmast." 

We  thought  that  we  had  got  off"  very  easily  ;  and  we 
should,  had  not  the  first  lieutenant  gone  below  and  for- 
gotten all  about  us.  Hour  after  hour  passed  by ;  we 
JKul  had  no  dinner;  I  was  almost  starved,  and  could 
scarcely  have  held  on  longer,  when  my  eye  fell  on  a 
sail  to  the  southward.  We  were  in  the  chops  of  the 
channel,  with  the  wind  from  the  northward,  ''  Sail,  O  !" 
I  shouted  out  in  a  shrill  tone.  Fortunately  Mr.  Lukyn 
was  on  deck,  and  when  I  had  told  him  the  direction  in 
which  I  had  seen  the  stranger,  he  called  me  down,  it 
having  probably  occurred  to  him  that  I  iiad  been  mast- 
headed rather  longer  than  he  intended. 

When  I  got  on  deck  I  went  up  to  him,  and,  touching 
my  hat,  said,  "  Please,  sir,  Spellman  is  still  at  the  mast- 
head." 

"Oh,  is  he?  ah!"  he  answered,  taking  a  turn. 

I  guessed  from  this  that  he  did  not  think  I  was  much 
to  blame.  Still  I  was  anxious  to  get  poor  Miss  Susan 
out  of  his  unpleasant  predicament,  for  I  knew  he  was 
almost  dead  with  hunger.     I  had  resolved  to  go  up  to 


MARMADUKE    MEURV,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  39 

Mr.  Lukyn  to  tell  him  so,  when  he  hailed  ray  late  an- 
tagonist, and  ordered  him  on  deck. 

''  You  have  to  thank  Mv.  IMerrj  that  you  are  not  up 
ithere  still,"  observed  the  first  lieutenant,  walking  away. 

Meantime  the  helm  had  been  put  up,  and  sail  made 
in  chase  of  the  stranger.  All  hands  earnestly  hoped 
ihut  she  might  prove  an  enemy.  A  sharp  look-out  was 
ke[)t  on  her.  One  thing  soon  became  evident  —  that 
we  must  have  been  seen,  and  that  she  was  not  inclined 
to  fly. 

"Now,  Mr.  Merry,  we'll  show  you  wliat  fighting  is," 
observed  Mv.  Johnson,  the  boatswain,  as  I  stood  near 
him  on  the  forecastle.  "  You'll  soon  see  round-shot,  and 
langrage,  and  bullets  rattling  about  us,  thick  as  hail; 
and  heads,  and  arms,  and  legs  flying  off  like  sliuttle- 
cocks.  A  man's  head  is  off  his  shoulders  before  he 
knows  where  he  is.  You'll  not  believe  it,  Mr.  Merry, 
perhaps  ;  but  it's  a  fact.  I  once  belonged  to  a  fi-igate, 
when  we  fell  in  with  two  of  the  enemy's  line-of-battle 
ships,  and  brought  them  to  action.  One,  for  a  short 
time,  was  on  our  starboard  beam,  and  the  other  right 
aft ;  and  we  were  exposed  to  a  terrible  cross  and  raking 
fire ;  it's  only  a  wonder  one  of  us  remained  alive,  or 
that  the  ship  did'nt  go  down.  It  happened  that  two 
men  were  standing  near  me,  looking  the  same  way  — 
athwart  ships,  you'll  understand.  The  name  of  one  was 
Bill  Cox  —  the  other,  Tom  Jay.  Well,  a  round-shot 
came  fi-om  our  enemy  astern,  and  took  off  the  head  of 
Bill  Cox,  who  was  on  the  larboard  side  ;  while  at  that 
identical  moment  a  chain-shot  from  the  ship  abeam  cut 
ofi'  Tom  Jay's  head,  who  was  nearest  the  starboard  side, 


40  MARIIADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

SO  cleanly  —  lie  happened  to  have  a  long  neck  —  that  it 
was  jerked  on  to  the  body  of  Bill  Cox,  who,  very  natu- 
rally, putting  up  his  hands  to  feel  what  had  become  of 
his  own  head,  kept  it  there  so  tightly  that  it  stuck  — 
positively  stuck  ;  and,  the  surgeon  afterwards  plastering 
it  thickly  round,  it  grew  as  firmly  as  if  it  had  always 
belonged  to  the  body.  The  curious  thing  was,  that  the 
man  did  not  afterwards  know  what  to  call  himself; 
when  he  intended  to  do  one  thing  he  was  constantly 
doing  another.  There  was  Bill  Cox's  body,  d'ye  see, 
and  Tom  Jay's  head.  Bill  Cox  was  rather  the  shorter 
of  the  two,  and  had  had  a  very  ugly  mug  of  his  own  ; 
while  Tom  Jay  was  a  good-looking  chap.  Consequently 
Bill  used  sometimes  to  blush  when  he  heard  his  good 
looks  spoken  of,  and  sometimes  to  get  angry,  thinking 
people  were  making  fun  of  him.  At  first.  Bill  never 
knew  who  was  hailed,  and  used  to  sing  out,  'Which  of 
us  do  you  want  ? '  However,  it  was  agreed  that  he  was 
and  should  be  Bill  Cox  ;  because  the  head  belonged  to 
the  body  by  right  of  capture ;  for  if  Bill's  arms  hadn't 
sprung  up  and  caught  it,  the  head  would  have  gone 
overboard,  and  been  no  use  to  nobody.  So  the  matter 
was  settled,  as  far  as  the  public  was  concerned.  D  was 
put  against  Tom  Jay's  name,  and  his  disconsolate  widow 
was  written  to,  and  told  she  might  marry  some  one  else 
as  soon  as  she  liked.  But  Bill  wasn't  at  all  comfortable 
about  himself,  lie  was  fond  of  fat  bacon,  which  Tom 
Jay  could  never  abide ;  and  Avhen  Bill  put  it  into  his 
new  mouth,  why,  you  see,  the  mouth  that  was  Tom's 
spit  it  out  again,  and  wouldn't  let  it,  by  no  manner  of 
means,  go  down  his  ihroat.     TIk'u  Tom  was  fond  of  a 


MAR.MADLKE  MERRY,  THE  MIDSHIPMAN.     41 

chsvw,  and  seldom  had  had  a  quid  out  of  his  cheeks. 
Bill,  for  some  reason,  didn't  like  backy,  and  though  his 
mouth  kept  asking  for  it,  nothing  would  ever  tempt  his 
hands  to  put  a  quid  inside.  '  I'm  very  miserable,  that 
I  be,'  groaned  poor  Bill ;  '  I  sometimes  almost  wishes  I 
hadn't  caught  Tom's  head  —  that  I  do.' 

"  You  see,  Mr.  Merry,  people  seldom  know  when 
they  are  well  off,  and  that  I  used  to  tell  him.  More 
came  of  it  when  Bill  got  back  home.  When  poor  Tom 
Jay's  widow  caught  sight  of  him  there  was  a  terrible  to 
do,  seeing  she  was  already  married  to  another  man  ;  but 
I'll  tell  you  all  about  that  by  and  by.  There's  the  cap- 
tain about  to  speak." 

The  captain's  speech  was  very  brief:  "  Clear  ship  for 
action,"  he  exclaimed,  as  he  placed  himself  on  one  of 
the  after  guns ;  "  and  now,  lads,  let  me  see  what  you 
are  made  of" 

I  had  been  about  to  ask  the  boatswain  how  he  got 
clear  of  the  two  line-of-battle  ships,  when  this  interrup- 
tion occurred.  Toby  Bluff  had  been  standing  at  a 
respectful  distance,  taking  it  all  in  with  open  mouth  and 
astonishment.  Each  man  went  to  his  station  —  bulk- 
heads were  knocked  away  — 'the  fires  put  out  —  the 
magazine  opened  —  powder  and  shot  were  carried  on 
deck  —  the  guns  were  cast  loose,  and  every  preparation 
was  made  in  a  wonderfully  short  space  of  time.  As  T 
passed  along  the  main-deck,  I  found  Toby  Bluff  sitting 
on  his  tub,  the  picture  of  a  regular  powder-monkey  — 
fat,  sturdy,  and  unconcerned.  He  had  become  on  very 
familiar  terms  with  the  other  boys,  and  had  fought  his 
way  into  a  satisfactory  state  of  equality.  He  and  those 
4* 


42  MAUMADUKK    MERUY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

near  him  were  firing  oft"  jokes  at  each  other  at  a  rapid 
rate,  the  others  trying  to  frighten  him,  and  he  in  no 
way  inchned  to  take  ahirm. 

"  Never  you  mind,"  he  answered  to  a  remark  made 
by  one  of  his  companions  ;  "  if  some  chaps  have  their 
heads  blown  off,  others  gets  new  ones  clapped  on  again  ! 
Ha,  ha,  ha !  That's  more  than  some  of  you  ever  see'd 
done." 

I  was  glad  to  see  that  Toby  was  in  such  good  heart, 
and  would  not  disgrace  our  county.  When  I  readied 
the  upper  deck,  I  found  our  bunting  going  up  and 
down.  "We  were  signalizing  with  the  stranger,  which, 
after  all,  turned  out  to  be  no  enemy,  but  his  Majesty's 
thirty-six  gun  frigate  Uranius.  There  was  a  general 
groan  of  disappointment  when  the  order  was  given  to 
secure  the  guns  and  close  the  magazine.  I  believe 
that,  at  that  moment,  most  of  the  people,  so  worked  up 
were  they  for  fighting,  would  rather  have  had  a  turn  to 
with  their  friend  than  have  been  baulked  altogether. 
AVe  found,  however,  that  we  should  soon  have  a  good 
ojjportunity  of  gratifying  our  pugnacious  propensities. 
Admiral  Cornwallis  was  at  that  time  the  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  Channel  fleet.  He  had  directed  Captain 
Collyer  to  look  out  for  the  Uranius  and  another  frigate, 
tlie  Emerald,  and  to  proceed  otF  Point  St.  Matthieu.  to 
watch  the  French  and  Spanish  fleets  then  lying  in  Brest 
hailxir.  After  cruising  for  a  couple  of  days,  we  fell  in 
with  the  other  frigate,  and  thus  altogether  proceeded  to 
our  desiinalion.  We  soon  reached  it.  On  standing  in 
toward  the  land,  we  very  clearly  made  out  the  enemy's 
fleet  at  anchor  in  Hre.-t  hai-bor;  but  few,  if  any,  of  the 


MARMADUKE    MERRV,    THE    MIDSniRMAN.  43 

ships  liad  their  sails  bent,  and  even  if  they  had  come 
out  after  us  we  could  veiy  easily  have  escajjed. 

"  All  hands  shorten  sail,  and  bring  ship  to  an  anchor," 
was  the  order  given,  and  all  tliree  frigates  brought  up 
just  as  coolly  as  if  we  had  been  at  Spitliead. 

"  I  wonder  what  they  think  of  us  ?  "  I  observed  to  the 
boatswain,  as  one  day  I  was  examining  the  enemy 
through  my  glass. 

"  Think  of  us  !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  That  we-  are  as  im- 
pudent as  sparrows,  and  that  they  would  willingly  wring 
our  necks  and  eat  us  if  they  could.  But  it  is  nothing  to 
what  I  have  seen  done  in  the  way  of  daring.  I  once 
belonged  to  a  frigate,  commanded  by  Ca])tain  Longbow, 
and,  as  he  would  tell  you,  if  you  were  to  ask  him,  we 
one  night  sailed  right  into  the  middle  of  a  Spanish  fleet 
—  ran  alongside  one  of  their  ships,  boarded  and  carried 
her,  and  took  her  out  free  without  the  Spanish  admiral 
discovering  what  we  had  been  about.  There's  no  end 
to  the  wonderful  things  I  have  seen  done,  or,  I  may 
say,  without  conceit,  have  done,  Mr.  Merry.  But  I 
rather  suspect  that  we  shall  have  to  lose  sight  of  the 
Dons  and  ]\Ion-ieurs  for  a  few  days.  There's  bad 
weather  coming  on,  and  we  shall  have  to  stand  out  to 
sea  ;  but,  never  mind,  they'll  not  make  their  escape  with 
a  gale  in  their  teeth." 

Mr.  Johnson  prognosticated  rightly.  Before  many 
hours  it  was  blowing  great  guns  and  small  arms,  and 
the  three  frigates  were  endeavoring,  under  all  the  sail 
they  could  carry,  to  obtain  a  good  offinir  from  the  land. 
We  tumbled  about  and  pitched  into  the  seas  in  a  way 
which  prevented  me  from,  as  Us-ual,  pitching  into  my 


44  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHirMAN. 

dinner.  One  thing  was  satisfactory  ;  the  gale  blockaded 
the  enemy  as  effectually  as  we  could  have  done.  They 
were  not  inclined  to  come  out  and  face  either  our  guns 
or  the  fury  of  tlie  wind.  I  cannot  say,  however,  that 
just  at  that  time  any  thing  brought  much  consolation  to 
me.  I  had  only  one  very  strong  wish  ;  it  was,  to  be 
thrown  overboard,  —  not  that  I  had  the  slightest  inten- 
tion of  jumping  into  the  sea  of  my  own  a,ccord.  I  was 
too  far  gon^  for  any  such  energetic  proceeding ;  and  had 
anybody  else  taken  me  up  for  the  purpose,  I  have  no 
doubt  that  I  should  have  struggled  and  kicked  myself 
into  perfect  health  again.  I  had  coiled  myself  away  on 
the  top  of  my  chest,  on  the  lower  deck,  in  a  dark  recess, 
where  I  thought  no  one  would  see  me  ;  and  there  1 
hoped  to  remain  all  alone  in  my  misery,  till  the  ship 
went  down,  or  blew  up,  or  something  else  dreadful  hap- 
pened, for  as  to  my  ever  getting  well  again,  that  I  felt 
was  physically  impossible.  I  had  lain  thus  for  some 
titne,  believing  myself  to  be  the  most  miserable  small 
piece  of  humanity  in  existence,  when,  the  frigate  ap- 
pearing to  be  pitching  and  rolling  more  furiously  than 
ever,  I  heard  a  gruff  voice  exclaim,  — 

"  What,  youngster !  are  you  going  to  let  the  ship  go 
down,  and  you  not  try  to  save  her  ?  On  deck  with  you  ; 
be  smart,  now." 

I  felt  a  colt  applied  to  a  part  of  my  body  which,  in  the 
position  I  lay,  offered  a  tempting  mark.  The  voice  was 
that  of  oM  Perigal  ;  his  sharp  eyes  had  found  me  out. 
I  sprang  up,  and  tusIkhI  on  deck  with  an  involuntary  yell 
of  pain,  to  find  the  ship  urxU-r  her  three  topsails  closely 
reefed,  forcing  her  way  bravely  through  the   seas,  and 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  45 

not  at  all  inclined  to  go  down,  or  to  come  to  any  other 
damage. 

"  You're  all  the  better  for  that  trip,  youngster,"  said 
the  old  mate,  with  a  grin,  as  I  returned  to  the  berth. 
"  Now,  just  take  a  lump  of  this  fat  bacon  and  a  bit  of 
biscuit,  —  and  here,  as  a  treat,  you  shall  have  a  nip  of 
old  Jamaica,  and  you'll  be  all  to  rights  in  ten  minutes, 
and  never  be  sea-sick  again  as  long  as  you  live." 

I  remonstrated,  but  out  came  the  colt,  and  with  an  ar- 
gument so  cogent,  I  was  fain  to  adopt  my  messmate's 
remedy.  It  was  a  terrible  trial.  At  tirst,  I  could 
scarcely  bring  my  teeth  to  meet ;  but  Perigal  flourished 
his  weapon,  and  my  jaws  went  faster  and  faster,  till  I 
was  not  sorry  to  finish  the  whole  of  the  biscuit  and  ba- 
con placed  before  me,  and  could  have  taken  twice  as 
much  if  I  could  have  got  it.  Perigal  was  right.  From 
that  day  to  this,  I  have  never  suiFered  from  sea-sick- 
ness. 

Toby  Bluff  had  undergone  a  similar  ordeal,  and  when 
I  was  well  enough  to  go  and  look  for  him,  I  found  him 
scraping  away  at  a  beef  bone,  from  which  he  had  just 
removed  the  last  particle  of  meat. 

The  summer  gale  was  soon  over,  and  once  more  we 
stood  in  for  the  land  to  look  after  the  Frenchmen.  As 
we  drew  in,  I  saw  the  captain  and  officers  eagerly  scan- 
ning the  coast  with  tlieir  glasses,  and  it  was  soon  known 
that  a  ship  had  been  discovered  at  anchor  by  herself  in 
a  bay  almost  abreast  of  where  we  then  were.  She  was 
protected,  however,  by  the  guns  of  some  strongish  bat- 
teries. 

"  We  must  have  her  out,  though,"  observed  Captain 


46  MAKMADL'KK    Mt:nr.Y,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

CoUyer;  and  furtliwith  t!ie  proposal  was  made  to  our 
consorts  \)y  signal. 

Neither  of  the  captains  were  the  sort  of  men  to  decline 
engaging  in  the  undertaking.  Off  we  went,  under  every, 
stitch  of  canvas  we  could  carry,  to  look  for  the  admiral, 
who,  with  a  fleet  sutiicient  to  render  a  good  account  of 
the  enemy,  should  they  venture  out  of  liarbor,  was  cruis- 
ing in  the  neighborhood. 

Admiral  CornwaUis  highly  approved  of  the  proposal. 
"  (io  and  do  it,"  was  his  laconic  reply.  Pie  was  more 
addicted  to  acts  than  words.  He  sent  a  lieutenant,  in 
whom  he  placed  great  confidence,  to  take  command,  and 
a  boat  and  boat's  crew  from  the  flag-ship  to  lead.  This 
was  not  quite  as  complimentary  a  proceeding  as  the 
three  captains  would  have  liked  ;  but  they  were  all  too 
zealous  and  too  anxious  to  get  the  work  done  to  stand 
on  ceremony.  Away  back  we  sailed,  till  we  once  more 
made  out  the  entrance  to  the  bay,  which  was  called 
Cameret  Bay. 

The  craft  we  were  about  to  attack,  and  hoped  to  cap- 
ture, was  tlie  Chevrette,  a  ship  corvette,  mounting 
twenty  guns,  —  a  powerful  vessel,  and  not  likely  to  be 
taken  without  a  severe  struggle.  Notice  was  given  that 
volunteers  would  be  required  for  the  service,  and  im- 
mediately, the  greater  part  of  the  officers  and  crews  of 
the  three  frigates  came  forward.  Among  those  who 
volunteered  from  tlie  Doris,  was  Mr.  Bryan,  the  second 
lieutenant ;  Mr.  Jolmson,  the  boatswain  ;  and  Edkins, 
the  ca[)laiu's  cockswain.  All  were  allowed  to  go.  The 
captain  had  great  confidence  in  Mr.  Bryan ;  and  I  sus- 
pect that  he  had  a  fancy  to  ascertain  what  Mr.  Johnson 
really  was  made  of. 


MARMADUKE    MERUY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  47 

We  brought  up  at  our  usual  anchorage,  and  the  re- 
mainder of  the  day  was  occupied  in  making  preparations 
for  the  expedition.  I  saw  Mr.  Johnson  very  busily  era- 
ployed  in  his  cabin  in  cleaning  his  pistols. 

"  Come  in,  Mr.  Merry,"  he  said,  as  he  caught  sight 
of  me.  "  These  are  old  friends  of  mine  ;  they  have 
served  me  many  a  good  turn  before  now.  If  it  was 
not  for  these  pistols,  I  should  not  have  been  in  the 
land  of  the  living ;  some  day  I'll  tell  you  how  it  hap- 
pened. Well,  we  are  likely  to  have  some  desperate 
work  to-night,  and  no  one  can  tell  whose  lot  it  will  be  to 
fall.  That  reminds  me,  Mr.  Merry,  I  have  written  a 
letter  to  my  wife,  and  I  will  intrust  it  to  you.  That  is 
more  than  I  would  do  to  any  other  midshipman  in  the 
ship.  She  is  a  charming  person  —  every  inch  a  lady, 
and  a  lady  of  rank  too.  One  thing  I  must  charge  you. 
—  do  not  speak  of  me  as  a  boatswain.  She  has  no  idea 
that  I  hold  so  subordinate  a  rank.  She  believes  that  I 
am  an  officer,  and  so  I  am  ;  only  I  am  a  warrant,  and 
not  a  commissioned  officer.  Just  tell  her  that  I  died 
fighting  bravely  for  my  country.  Her  name  —  for  she 
is  not  called  Mrs.  Johnson  —  and  address  you  will  find 
within  that  inclosure.  If  I  come  back,  you  will  restore 
it  to  me  as  it  is ;  if  I  fall,  you  will  know  what  to  do  with 
it." 

I  thanked  Mr.  Johnson  very  much  for  the  confidence 
he  reposed  in  me,  but  told  him  that  I  had  come  for  the 
very  purpose  of  asking  him  to  let  me  go  in  his  boat. 

"  You,  Mr.  Merry  ? "  exclaimed  the  boatswain. 
"You'll  be  made  into  mince-meat  —  cut  to  atoms  —  an- 
nihilated.   It's  no  child's  play,  that  cutting-out  work  we 


48  MARMAnCKE    AIERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

are  going  on,  let  me  tell  you.  Time  enough  when  you 
are  bigger." 

"  But  I  want  to  go,  that  I  may  know  how  to  do  it,"  I 
argued  ;  "  1  have  come  to  sea  to  learn  to  be  a  sailor  and 
an  officer,  and  the  captain  says  we  should  lose  no  oppor- 
tunity of  gaining  knowledge  ;  and  I  could  not  find  a 
better  occasion  than  the  present  for  gaining  an  insight 
into  what,  I  fancy,  is  of  very  considerable  importance." 

I  went  on  for  some  time  axguing  in  this  way,  and 
coaxing  the  boatswain. 

"  Well!  well  I  I  cannot  give  you  leave,  youngster  — 
you  know  that ;  but  I  have  heard  of  boys  stowing  them- 
selves away  under  a  sail  in  the  bows  of  a  boat,  and 
coming  out  to  play  their  part  right  manfully  when  the 
time  for  action  had  arrived.  I  am  to  have  the  pinnace, 
you  know." 

"  Thank  you  —  thank  you,"  I  exclaimed,  overwhelm- 
ed with  gratitude  at  the  enormous  favor  done  me  by  the 
boatswain,  of  allowing  me  to  run  a  considerable  chance 
of  getting  knocked  on  the  head. 

"  Don't  say  any  more  about  it,  Mr.  ]\Ierry,"  said  Mr. 
Johnson ;  "  I  always  liked  you ;  and  I  couldn't  do  for 
my  own  son,  if  I  had  one,  more  than  I  would  do  for 

you." 

The  boatswain  forgot  to  ask  for  his  letter  back,  so  I 
locked  it  up  in  my  desk,  after  I  had  written  a  few  lines 
to  inform  my  family  that,  if  they  received  them,  it  would 
be  to  convey  the  information  that  I  had  fallen,  nobly 
fighting  for  my  country,  on  the  field  of  fame  —  or  some- 
thing to  that  cffV'ct.  I  know  I  thought  my  epistle  so 
very  fine  and  pathetic  that  I  could  not  resist  the  temp- 


MARMADUKE    MERUY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  49 

tation  of  sending  it  home,  and  very  nearly  frightened 
my  mother  and  sisters  into  hysterics,  under  the  belief 
that  I  really  was  numbered  among  the  killed  and 
wounded.  It  was  only  when  they  got  to  th»  postscript 
that  they  discovered  I  was  all  right  and  well.  Having 
written  this  despatch,  announcing  ray  own  demise  — 
which,  by  the  by,  I  should  certainly  not  have  done  had 
not  the  boatswain  put  it  into  my  head  —  I  set  to  work 
to  make  my  other  preparations.  Having  secured  a 
pistol,  with  some  powder  and  bullets,  and  a  cutlass, 
which  I  fancied  I  could  handle,  I  stowed  them  away  in 
the  bows  of  the  pinnace. 

I  never  before  played  the  hypocrite,  but  I  was  so 
afraid  that  my  messmates  would  discover  my  purpose, 
that  I  pretended  to  take  no  interest  in  the  proposed  ex- 
pedition, and  spoke  as  if  it  was  an  affair  in  which  I 
should  be  very  sorry  to  be  engaged.  I  got,  in  conse- 
quence, considerably  sneered  at ;  Miss  Susan,  especially, 
amused  himself  at  my  expense,  and  told  me  that  I  had 
better  go  back  to  my  sisters,  and  help  them  to  sew  and 
nurse  babies,  if  I  was  afraid  of  fighting.  I  bore  all  that 
was  said  with  wonderful  equanimity,  hoping  that  the 
next  morning  would  show  I  was  a  greater  hero  than  any 
of  them. 

At  length  the  boats'  crews  were  piped  away ;  it  was 
the  signal  for  which  I  had  long  been  listening.  I  rushed 
on  deck,  and,  unperceived,  as  I  hoped,  I  jumped  into 
the  pinnace,  and  stowed  myself  away  under  the  thwarts. 
Tho  boats  were  lowered,  the  order  was  given  to  shove 
off,  and,  with  a  hearty  cheer  from  all  on  board  the  ships, 
to  which  those  in  the  boats  responded,  away  we  pulled 
6 


50  MAR.MADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

for  the  mouth  of  Camaret  Bay.  My  position  was  any 
tiling  but  pleasant,  especially  as  I  got  several  kicks  from 
the  feet  of  the  men  which  nearly  stove  in  ray  ribs  ;  and 
I  was  therefore  very  glad  when  I  thought  it  would  be 
safe  to  crawl  out  and  present  myself  to  the  boatswain. 
The  men,  very  naturally,  were  highly  pleased,  and  1 
rose  considerably  in  their  estimation  by  what  I  had 
done ;  but  Mr.  Johnson,  of  course,  pretended  to  be  very 
angry  when  he  saw  ine,  and  told  me  the.  captain  would 
never,  forgive  me,  or  speak  to  me  again,  if  I  got  killed. 
At  first,  the  men  were  allowed  to  laugh  and  talk  as 
much  as  they  liked ;  but  as  we  approached  the  entrance 
to  the  bay,  silence  was  enjoined,  and  even  the  oars  were 
muffled,  so  that  we  should  give  no  notice  to  the  enemy 
of  our  approach. 

The  night  was  very  dark.  Our  boat  had  kept  near 
that  of  our  leader,  Mr.  Bryan  ;  but  after  some  time  it 
was  discovered  that  the  other  division  of  boats  had  not 
come  up.  We  had  jJuUcd  very  fast,  and  probably  out- 
stripped them.  We  pulled  on  till  we  got  within  the 
very  mouth  of  the  harbor,  and  then  the  order  was  passed 
from  boat  to  boat  that  we  were  to  lay  on  our  oars  till 
the  rest  of  the  boats  came  up.  1  found  this  rather  a 
trying  time.  While  we  were  rapidly  pulling  on  I  could 
not  think,  and  I  felt  a  powerful  longing  to  be  slashing 
away  at  the  enemy.  Now  I  began  to  reflect  that  they 
would  be  equally  slashing  away  at  me ;  and  I  remem- 
bered my  own  pathetic  letter,  and  what  I  fancied  Jona- 
than Johnson's  anticipations  of  evil.  Probably  the  men 
were  indulging  in  much  the  same  sort  of  thoughts ;  I 
know  that  they  did  not  appear  to  be  in  nearly  such  good 


MARMADL'KE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  51 

spirits  as  at  first.  This  showed  me  what  I  have  ever 
since  remembered,  that  when  dashing  work  is  to  be 
done,  it  siiould  be  done  off-hand,  and  that  all  pains 
should  be  taken  to  avoid  a  halt  or  interruption. 

Hour  after  hour  passed  by ;  no  boats  appeared.  At 
length  the  day  broke,  and  so  rapidly  did  it  come  on 
that,  before  we  had  time  to  get  to  a  distance,  the  light 
revealed  us  to  the  eyes  of  the  enemy.  The  other  boats 
were  nowhere  to  be  seen ;  they,  for  some  reason,  had 
returned  to  the  ships ;  we  had  now  no  resource  but  to 
do  the  same,  in  a  very  crestfallen  condition. 

I  hid  myself  away,  as  before,  and  managed  to  get  ou 
board  without  any  one  discovering  where  I  had  been. 
I  knew  that  Mr.  Johnson  would  keep  his  counsel,  and  I 
did  my  best  to  keep  mine.  Captain  Collyer  and  the 
other  captains  were  very  much  annoyed  at  the  failure 
of  the  expedition,  and  it  soon  became  known  that  they 
had  resolved  to  make  another  attempt  to  cut  out  the 
Chevrette. 

There  was  no  time  to  be  lost.  Another  expedition 
was  arranged  for  that  night.  Every  one  knew  that  it 
would  be  far  moi'e  dangerous  than  it  would  have  been 
on  the  previous  night,  because  the  enemy  would  now  be 
prepared  for  our  reception.  The  corvette,  indeed,  was 
seen  to  go  further  up  the  harbor,  so  as  to  be  more  com- 
pletely under  the  protection  of  the  batteries ;  and  as 
boats  were  continually  passing  between  her  and  the 
shore,  there  could  be  little  doubt  that  she  was  augment- 
ing the  number  of  her  crew.  Notwithstanding  the  for- 
midable resistance  they  might  thus  expect  to  meet  with, 
all  were  as  eager  as  before  to  join  in  the  expedition. 


52  MARM.VIU'KE    MKRRY,    THE    ^tlPSHIPMAN. 

I  resolved  not  to  be  baulked  of  my  expected  amuse- 
ment, but  how  to  accomplish  my  purpose  was  the  diffi- 
culty. I  heard  both  the  officers  and  men  regretting  the 
failure  of  the  previous  night,  and  observing  tliat  they 
should  have  much  tougher  work  the  next  time,  by 
wliich  I  knew  that  the  danger  would  be  very  greatly 
increased  ;  but  that  only  made  me  the  more  eager  to  go 
on  the  expedition.  The  resistance  to  be  expected  was, 
indeed,  formidable.  We  could  see  witli  our  glasses  the 
people  busily  employed  in  throwing  up  new  batteries  on 
shore ;  and  then  a  large  gun  vessel  came  out  and  an- 
chored at  the  mouth  of  the  bay,  to  give  notice  of  the 
approach  of  boats.  What,  however,  excited  the  rage 
of  all  on  board,  and  made  us  still  more  eager  to  capture 
the  French  corvette,  was  to  see  her  hoist  a  large  French 
ensign  above  the  British  flag. 

"  That  insult  seals  her  fate,"  observed  Mr.  Bryan, 
loud  enough  for  the  men  near  to  hear  him.  "  Our 
fellows  will  take  very  good  care  to  reverse  those  two 
flags  before  many  hours  are  over." 

I  was  in  a  very  fidgety  state  all  day.  I  was  not  ac- 
customed to  concealment,  and  I  dared  trust  no  one  with 
my  plans.  Even  Toby  Bluft",  I  suspected,  would  try  to 
prevent  me  going,  unless  he  was  allowed  to  go  also ; 
and  that  I  did  not  wish,  as  it  would,  in  the  first  place, 
have  increased  the  chances  of  my  being  discovered,  and 
also,  though  I  was  ready  enough  to  run  the  risk  of 
being  knocked  on  the  head  myself,  I  did  not  Avish  to  let 
him  get  hurt  if  I  could  help  it.  I  likewise  very  care- 
fully kept  out  of  the  boatswain's  way.  I  knew  that, 
as  the  danger  was  increased,  he  would  be  still  less  will- 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  53 

ing  to  let  me  go,  and  I  was  in  a  great  fright  lest  he 
should  have  an  opportunity  of  speaking  to  me  alone, 
and  altogether  prohibit  me  from  going  in  his  boat.  At 
last  a  bright  idea  occurred  to  me  —  I  would  sham  ill, 
and  then  no  one  would  suspect  me.  I  immediately 
went  to  our  long-headed  Scotch  assistant-surgeon, 
Macquoid,  and  described  my  symptoms. 

"  You're  vary  ill,  lad  —  vary  ill,"  he  answered,  look- 
ing at  me  with  a  quizzical  expression  in  his  humorous 
countenance.  "  I'll  give  you  something  which  will  do 
for  ye,  and  not  make  ye  wish  for  any  more  physic  for  a 
long  time  to  come." 

Macquoid  was  as  good  as  his  word.  Terribly  nauseous 
was  the  draught  he  insisted  on  my  swallowing;  nor 
would  he  leave  me  till  every  drop  had  gone  down,  and 
then  I  rushed  off  to  the  berth  and  threw  myself  on  a 
locker  to  luxuriate  in  the  flavor,  which  nothing  I  could 
take  would  remove  from  my  mouth. 

It  was  the  first  and  last  time  I  ever  made  an  attempt 
at  malingering. 


5* 


54  MAKMADLICK    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 


CHAPTER      III. 

After  I  had  taken  INIacquoid's  nauseous  draught, 
I  went  and  h\y  down  on  my  chest.  I  chose  that  spot 
because,  from  the  uncomfortable  position  in  which  I  was 
obliged  to  place  myself,  I  was  not  likely  to  go  to  sleep, 
and  because  I  was  there  better  able  to  hear  when  the 
boats'  crews  were  called  away.  I  could  not  help  now 
and  then  giving  way  to  a  gi-oan,  which  the  sickness  and 
pain  of  the  physic  produced. 

"  Who's  that  ?  "  I  heard  old  Perigal  inquire,  as  he 
was  passing  to  the  berth. 

"  Oh,  it's  only  that  little  sneak.  Merry,"  Spellman 
answered.  "  He  thinks  that  he  may  be  ordered  off  in 
the  boat,  and  is  shamming  sick  to  escape,  as  if  such  a 
hop-o'-my-thumb  as  he  is  could  be  of  any  use." 

"  That  is  not  like  him.  I  consider  liira  a  very  plucky 
little  fellow,"  remarked  Perigal. 

"  Thank  you,  old  boy,"  I  said  mentally.  "  And  you, 
Miss  Susan,  I'll  be  even  with  you  some  day  for  your 
obliging  remarks." 

I  cannot  say,  liowever,  that  I  felt  any  enmity  toward 
Spellman  on  that  accoiuit.  I  had  not  respect  enough 
for  him  for  that.  I  would  rather,  however,  have  parted 
with  more  kindly  feelings  toward  all  ray  messmates  on  so 
dangerous  an  expedition.  I  could  not  help  thinking 
over  the  matter  while  lying  so  long  silent  by  myself, 
but   my   resolution   to   accom[)lish    my  design  was  not 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  55 

shaken.  Mj  messmates  went  into  the  berth,  and  just 
then  I  heard  the  boats  piped  away.  I  ran  quickly  upon 
deck,  and,  while  the  men  were  buckling  on  their  cutlasses, 
1  slipped  into  the  pinnace,  and  stowed  myself,  as  before, 
into  so  small  a  space  that  even  the  boatswain,  who 
looked  into  the  boat,  did  not  perceive  me.  I  knew  that 
he  looked  for  me,  because  I  heard  his  gruff"  voice  say, 
'•  All  right ;  he's  not  there.  He's  thought  better  of  it.'" 
At  about  half-past  nine  the  final  order  to  shove  off"  wa* 
given,  and  away  we  went.  1  got  fewer  kicks  this  time 
for  I  took  good  care  to  keep  my  legs  out  of  the  way 
The  men,  also,  I  suspect,  guessed  that  I  was  there.  1 
knew  that  I  was  perfectly  safe  with  them. 

The  flotilla  consisted  of  fifteen  boats,  containing  nearly 
three  hundred  officers  and  men,  not  counting  myself. 
After  we  had  got,  as  I  supposed,  about  a  coii[)le  of  miles 
from  the  ship,  and  I  knew  that  I  could  not  be  sent  back, 
I  ventured  to  crawl  out  and  look  over  the  gunwale.  The 
inky  sea  around  us  was  dotted  with  boats,  all  the  party 
keeping  pretty  close  together.  The  night  was  so  dark 
that  I  could  see  little  more  than  their  outlines,  as  they 
crept  rapidly  along,  like  many-footed  monsters,  over  the 
deep.  I  did  not  fancy  that  Mr.  Johnson  knew  I  was 
there,  but  his  sharp  eyes  made  me  out  through  the 
gloom. 

"  Mr.  Merry,  step  aft,  if  you  please,  sir,"  he  bawled 
out  suddenly. 

Stepping  over  the  oars,  I  went  and  sat  myself  down 
by  him,  but  said  nothing. 

"  Mr.  Merry,  this  conduct  is  highly  reprehensible  ;  I 
must  report  it  to  the  captain  as  soon  as  we  get  back, 


56  MAUMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

after  we  have  carried  and  brought  out  that  French 
corvette,  and  covered  ourselves  with  honor  and  glory  ; 
and  I  don't  know  what  he'll  say  to  you.  And  now,  sir, 
after,  as  in  duty  hound,  from  being  your  superior  officer, 
I  liave  expressed  my  opinions,  I  should  like  to  know 
what  you  are  going  to  do  when  we  get  alongside  the 
enemy  ?  " 

"  Climb  up  with  the  rest,  and  fight  the  Frenchmen," 
I  replied  promptly. 

'*  Very  good,  Mr.  Merry  ;  but  suppose  one  of  the 
Frenchmen  was  to  give  you  a  poke  in  the  ribs  with  a 
boarding  pike,  or  a  shot  through  the  chest,  or  a  slash 
with  a  cutlass,  what  would  you  do  then?" 

"  Grin  and  bear  it,  I  suppose,  like  anybody  else,"  was 
my  answer. 

"  Very  good,  very  good,  indeed,  Mr.  Merry,"  said  the 
boatswain,  well  pleased  ;  "  that's  the  spirit  I.  like,  and 
expected  to  find  in  you.  Now,  my  boy,  whatever  you 
do,  stick  by  me ;  I'll  do  my  best  for  you.  If  I  get 
knocked  over,  and  there's  no  saying  what  will  happen 
in  desperate  work  like  this,  then  keep  close  to  Edkins. 
He's  a  good  swordsman,  and  won't  let  you  be  hurt  if  he 
can  help  it.  I  should  be  sorry  if  any  harm  came  to 
you.  Ijut,  Mr.  Merry,  how  are  you  going  to  fight?  I 
don't  see  that  you  have  got  a  sword,  and  I  fancy  that 
you'll  not  do  much  execution  with  one  of  the  ship's 
culla-;ses." 

I  told  him  that  I  had  got  my  dirk,  and  that  I  hoped 
to  make  good  use  of  that. 

He  laugiied  heartily. 

"A  tailor's  bodkin  would  be  of  as  much  use  in  board- 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  57 

ing,"  he  answered ;  "  but  you  shall  have  one  of  my 
pistols  ;  the  chances  are  that  I  do  not  require  either  of 
them.     Cold  steel  suits  me  best." 

I  thanked  Mr.  Johnson  warmly,  and  then  asked  him 
what  orders  had  been  received  about  attacking.  He 
-told  me  that  some  of  the  boats  were  to  board  on  the 
bows,  and  others  on  the  quarters  of  the  corvette  ;  that  a 
(juartcr-master  of  the  Beaulieu,  with  a  party  of  men  to 
p]-otect  him,  was  to  take  charge  of  the  helm  ;  that  others 
were  to  fight  their  way  aloft,  to  let  fall  the  topsails  ;  and 
that  he,  with  his  men  and  another  boat's  crew,  was  to 
hold  possession  of  the  forcastle,  and  to  cut  the  cables. 
All  this  was  to  be  done  in  spite  of  any  fighting  which 
might  be  taking  place.  Some  were  to  sheet  home  the  top- 
sails, and  the  remainder  were  to  do  their  best  to  over- 
power the  enemy,  AYe  had  got  some  way,  when  we 
caught  sight  of  a  strange  boat  inside  of  us. 

The  commander  of  the  expedition,  su[)posing  that  she 
belonged  to  the  Chevrette,  summoning  five  other  boats 
to  attend  him,  made  chase  to  secure  her,  ordering  his 
second  in  command  to  pull  slowly  on  till  he  rejoined  the 
expedition.  On  we  went.  As  to  pulling  slow,  that  was 
a  very  difficult  thing  to  do  just  then.  So  eager  were 
the  men,  that  they  couldn't  help  putting  more  strength 
into  their  strokes  than  they  intended.  All  I  know  is 
that  the  nine  remaining  boats  got  close  up  to  the  har- 
bor's mouth,  and  that  the  others  had  not  joined.  We 
lay  on  our  oars,  as  ordered,  for  a  short  time. 

"  What  can  have  become  of  them  ? "  exclaimed  a 
lieutenant  in  one  of  the  boats. 

"  Daylight  will  be  upon  us  if  we  don't  look  sharp," 
said  another. 


58  MAUMAnrKK    MKRKY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

"  It  would  be  a  disgrace  to  go  back  without  attempting 
something,"  cried  a  third. 

"  We  will  lose  no  more  time,  but  try  what  we  can  do 
without  them,"  said  the  senior  officer  of  the  party.  He 
Avas  undoubtedly  ver}-  eager  to  lead  on  the  occasion. 
Certain  necessary  altei'ations  were  made. 

"  Gentlemen,  you  all  know  your  respective  duties," 
he  added.     "  Then  give  way  !  " 

Right  cheerfully  the  men  bent  to  their  oars,  and  up 
the  harbor  we  dashed.  I  kept  looking  ahead  for  the 
enemy.  I  knew  that  as  soon  as  we  saw  her,  she  would 
see  us,  and  then  the  fun  would  begin.  I  felt  rather 
nervous,  but  very  eager. 

"  There  she  is,"  cried  the  boatswain. 

Suddenly  through  the  gloom,  I  saw  the  tall  masts  and 
spars  of  the  ship  we  were  to  attack.  A  voice  from  her 
hailed  us  in  French.  Of  course  our  only  reply  was  a 
hearty  cheer,  and  on  we  dashed  faster  than  ever.  Not 
unmolested  though.  The  next  moment,  sheets  of  flame 
darted  from  the  ports,  from  one  end  of  the  ship  to  the 
other,  and  showers  of  grape  and  bullets  rattled  about 
our  heads.  A  groan,  or  a  cry  of  anguish  from  some  of 
the  boats,  told  that  the  emissaries  of  destruction  had 
taken  effect.  Thick  fell  the  shot,  and  the  next  instant 
a  heavy  fire  opened  on  us  from  the  shore  ;  but  nothing 
f^topped  our  progress.  On  we  dashed,  and  were  quickly 
alongside  the  enemy.  The  whole  side  bristled  with 
boarding  pikes,  and  as  we  attempted  to  climb  up, 
muskets  and  pistols  were  discharged  in  our  faces,  and 
tomahawks  and  sabres  came  slashing  down  on  our 
heads.     Our   men    cheered    and    grasped    hold    of  the 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  59 

ship's  sides,  but  again  and  again  were  thrust  back,  and 
then  the  Frenchmen  leaped  into  our  boats,  making  a 
dashing  effort  to  drive  us  out  of  thera.  They  had  better 
have  remained  on  their  own  deck,  for  very  few  got 
back.  Some  did  though,  and  formed  shields  to  our 
men,  who  climbed  up  after  them.  Meantime,  our  boat 
had  boarded,  as  directed,  on  the  starboard  bow,  but 
linding  it  hopeless  so  get  up  there,  Mr.  Johnson  dropped 
astern,  and  perceiving  only  one  boat  on  the  quarter, 
and  space  for  us  to  shove  in,  we  hooked  on,  and  the 
next  instant  were  scrambling  up  the  side.  I  kept  close 
to  the  boatswain.  I  thought  that  we  were  about  to  gain 
the  deck,  when  the  enemy  made  a  rush  toward  us,  and 
over  he  went,  and  I  was  left  clinging  to  the  side,  with  a 
dozen  sabres  flashing  above  my  head.  As  to  letting  go, 
I  never  thought  of  that.  I  kept  Mr.  Johnson's  pistol  in 
my  right  hand,  and  was  about  to  fire,  when  down  came 
a  sword,  which  would  have  clove  my  head  in  two,  had 
not  a  lieutenant  of  marines  in  the  next  boat,  interposed 
his  own  weapon,  and  saved  me.  But  the  act  was  one 
of  self-devotion,  for  the  Frenchman  brought  his  sabre 
down  on  my  preserver's  arm,  while  another  thrust  a 
pike  through  his  body,  and  hurled  him  hack,  mortally 
wounded,  to  the  bottom  of  the  boat.  I  should,  after  all, 
have  shared  the  same  fate,  had  not  Mr.  Johnson,  at  that 
instant  recovered  himself,  and  with  a  shout,  loud  enough 
to  make  our  enemies  quake,  up  he  sprang,  and,  with  one 
whirl  of  his  cutlass,  drove  the  Frenchmen  from  the 
side.  Over  the  bulwarks  he  leaped  ;  I  and  most  of  the 
men  from  the  two  boats  followed.  But  though  we  had 
gained  the  deck,  there  seemed  but  little  chance  of  our 
forcing  our  way  forward. 


GO  .MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    3IIDSHIPMAN. 

Our  men,  in  the  first  desperate  struggle  alongside,  had 
lost  their  firearms,  and  for  a  few  seconds  the  tall  figure 
of  our  boatswain,  as  he  stood  up  facing  the  enemy,  of- 
fered a  mark  to  a  score  of  muskets  aimed  at  him.  The 
Frenchman,  expecting  to  see  him  fall,  came  on  boldly. 
1  grasped  his  pistol,  hoping  to  avenge  him. 

"  The  forecastle  is  our  station,  lads,"  he  shouted,  and 
his  stentorian  voice  was  heard  above  the  din  of  battle. 
"  Make  a  lane,  there ;  make  a  lane,  there,"  he  added, 
dashing  furiously  among  the  enemy.  I  followed  by  his 
side.  His  whirling  cutlass  flashed  round,  and  sent  the 
Frenchmen  flying  on  either  side.  On  we  went,  intent 
on  our  object,  bearing  down  all  opposition,  to  gain  the 
forecastle,  while  another  party  had  got  possession  of  the 
helm.  The  deck  was  by  this  time  covered  with  killed 
and  wounded.  Many  of  our  men  had  fallen.  We  strode 
over  friend  and  foe  alike,  alive  or  dead.  The  break  of 
the  top-gallant  forecastle  was  gained.  It  was  desperately 
defended,  but  the  boatswain,  clearing  with  a  sweep  of 
his  cutlass  a  spot  to  stand  on,  sprang  up  among  the  as- 
tonished Frenchman.  I  felt  my. c-lf  lifted  up  after  him  ; 
our  men  followed  ;  and  though  pikes  were  thrust  at  us, 
and  pistols  were  flashed  in  our  faces  for  a  few  seconds, 
our  opponents  either  leaped  overboard,  or  threw  them- 
selves on  the  deck,  and  sang  out  for  quarter.  Some  of 
our  men,  appointed  for  the  purpose,  went  to  the  head 
sails,  while  others  instantly  cut  the  cable.  I  glanced 
my  eye  upwards  ;  the  topmen  who  had  fought  their  way 
aloft,  had  cut  loose  the  topsails  with  their  cutlasses,  and 
they  were  now  being  sheeted  home  ;  but  the  fighting  was 
not  over ;  a  desperate  attempt  was  being  made  by  the 


'^  x^ 


One  of  hiR  matps  rusho.!  in.  when  raising  my  pistol  1  fire,l  ,t  tl,,.  man's  hoad. 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  61 

enemy  to  drive  us  out  of  the  ship.  The  boatswain, 
mean  time,  was  uttering  his  war  shouts,  issuing  orders 
to  the  men,  and  dealing  death  and  wounds  around. 

"  Old  England  forever  !  hoist  the  fore-staysail.  Back, 
ye  Johnny  Crapeaus  !  Back,  ye  French  scarecrow's  ! 
Haul  away  my  lads,  and  belay  all  that.  Hurra !  we've 
gained  the  day  !  " 

In  the  latter  assertion  he  was  somewhat  premature, 
for  the  French  crew,  now  rallying  amidships,  made  a 
desperate  attack  on  the  forecastle,  but  the  boatswain's 
flashing  weapon  literally  cut  them  down  like  corn  before 
the  reaper's  scythe,  as  they  came  on.  Still  they  pressed 
round  us.  Most  of  our  men  were  occupied  in  making 
sail. 

A  big  Frenchman,  the  boatswain  of  the  ship,  I  fancy, 
who  was  almost  as  big  as  Jonathan  himself,  now  sprang 
ahead  of  his  comrades  to  measure  his  strength  with  our 
champion.  He  was  evidently  a  first-i-ate  swordsman, 
and  in  his  progress  forward  had  already  cut  down  two 
or  three  of  our  men.  He  shouted  something  to  his  com- 
panions ;  it  was,  as  I  suspected,  to  tell  them  to  try  and 
wound  Mr.  .Johnson  while  he  was  engaging  him  in  front. 
I  had  hitherto  grasped  the  pistol  he  had  given  me,  but 
had  not  fired  it.  I  felt  for  the  lock.  On  came  the 
Frenchmen ;  Mr.  Johnson  had  need  of  all  his  skill  to 
keep  his  enemies  at  bay.  The  French  boatswain  pressed 
him  desperately  hard.  One  of  his  mates  rushed  in,  and 
was  bringing  down  his  cutlass  with  a  terrific  sweep, 
which  would  have  half  cut  our  boatswain  in  two,  when, 
raising  my  pistol,  I  fired  at  the  man's  head.  The  bullet 
went  through  his  brain,  and  his  cutlass,  though  wound- 
6 


G2  MARMADfKE    MERKY,    THE    MIDSniPMAN. 

ing  Johnson  sliglitly  in  the  leg,  fell  to  the  deck.  The 
lioatswaiii's  weapon  meantime  was  not  idle,  and  at  the 
same  moment,  it  descended  with  a  sweep  which  cut  the 
Frenchman's  head  nearl)'  in  two,  and  he  fell  dead  among 
Ills  comrades.  It  was  at  that  instant  the  French  discov- 
ered that  their  ship  was  under  weigh.  "  Sauve  qui 
pent !  "  was  the  cry.  Some  jumped  overboard  and  en- 
deavored to  swim  on  shore.  Many  leaped  below,  either 
in  fear  or  with  determination  still  to  carry  on  the  fight, 
and  others  threw  down  their  arms  and  cried  for  mercy. 
Not  a  cutlass  was  raised  on  them  after  that,  but  the  fel- 
lows who  fled  below  had  got  possession  of  some  muskets, 
and  began  firing  at  all  of  us  who  appeared  near  the 
hatchways.  A  party  of  om-  men,  however,  leaped  down 
among  them,  and  quickly  put  a  stop  to  their  proceed- 
ings. 

The  ship  was  now  completely  under  our  command ; 
the  sails  filled,  she  felt  the  helm,  and  was  standing  down 
the  harbor.  Though  it  appeared  to  me  nearly  an  hour, 
if  not  more,  I  found  that  not  five  minutes  had  passed 
since  the  boats  got  alongside.  But  we  were  not  quite 
free.  We  were  congratulating  ourselves  on  our  success, 
when  a  shot  whistled  between  our  masts,  followed  by 
another,  and  a  heavy  battery  opened  upon  us.  <  "We 
were  too  busy  to  reply  to  it,  and  the  men  went  about 
iheir  work  just  as  coolly  as  if  nothing  was  occurring. 
The  wind  was  light,  and  we  were  a  long  time  exposed 
to  the  fire  of  the  battery.  Mr.  Johnson,  between 
pulling  and  hauling,  for  he  lent  a  hand  to  everybody, 
apo-;trophized  the  masts,  and  urged  them  not  to  get 
shot  away.     He  evidently  thought  more  of  them  just 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  63 

then  than  of  any  thing  else.  They  were  in  his  depart- 
ment. 

"  I  wonder,  Mr.  Johnson,  whether  any  of  us  will 
have  to  change  heads  ?  "  said  I. 

"  If  you  and  I  did,  you'd  look  rather  funny  with  my 
mug  on  your  shoulders,"  he  answered,  with  a  loud 
laugh.  "  Even  your  own  mother  would'nt  know  you, 
I  suspect." 

Just  then  a  shower  of  grape  came  rattling  round  us, 
and  though  I  could  hear  the  shot  whistling  by,  close  to 
my  ears,  not  one  of  us  was  hit.  I  could  not  help  wish- 
ing that  a  breeze  would  spring  up,  and  carry  us  clear 
of  the  unpleasant  neighborhood.  Just  then  the  missing 
boats  arrived,  and  rather  surprised  our  friends  were  to 
find  that  we  had  already  secured  the  prize.  Though 
too  late  to  help  to  take  her,  they  were  of  great  assist- 
ance in  towing  her  out  of  range  of  the  enemy's  batter- 
ies, and  I  believe  some  of  the  poor  fellows  in  them 
were  hit  while  so  employed.  At  length  a  breeze  sprang 
up,  and  all  sail  being  made,  right  merrily  we  glided  out 
of  the  enemy's  harbor,  much,  undoubtedly,  to  their  dis- 
gust and  to  our  very  great  satisfaction. 

Now  came  the  sad  work  of  counting  the  killed  and 
wounded.  We  had  lost  twelve  of  the  former,  two  be- 
ing officers,  and  nearly  five  times  that  number  wound- 
ed ;  while  we  found  that  the  corvette  had  her  captain, 
three  lieutenants,  and  three  midshipmen,  and  eighty- 
five  seamen  and  soldiers  killed,  being  ninety-two  killed, 
though  only  sixty-two  were  wounded.  The  deck  was  a 
complete  shambles  :  the  wounded  were  carried  below, 
friends    and   foes   alike,    though    the  dead   Frenchmen 


64  MAUMAHUKK    MERRY,    TIIK    MIDSHIPMAN. 

were  hove  overboard  at  once.  Our  own  dead,  being 
not  so  numerous,  were  kept  to  lie  committed  to  the  deep 
with  more  ceremony  in  the  morning.  Among  them 
was  a  midshipman.  I  could  not  help  lifting  up  the  flag 
which  covered  his  face.  Poor  fellow,  there  he  lay, 
stiff  and  stark  !  A  jovial  laughing  fellow  he  had  been, 
cracking  his  jokes  but  a  few  minutes  before,  just  as  we 
were  entering  the  harbor.  Such  might  have  been  my 
fate.  He  had  fallen,  though  in  the  path  of  duty.  He 
had  been  ordered  to  come.  I  felt  more  sad,  and  was 
more  thoughtful,  than  I  had  ever  been  in  my  life  be- 
fore. How  long  I  stood  there  I  do  not  know.  Mr. 
Johnson's  voice  aroused  me. 

"  I  haven't  had  time  to  speak  to  you  before,  Mr. 
Merry,"  said  he.  "You  did  very  well,  —  very  well 
indeed.  Jonathan  Johnson  thanks  you  from  the  bottom 
of  his  heart ;  that  he  does.  If  it  had'nt  been  for  your 
steady  aim,  and  the  unfailing  accuracy  of  my  pistol 
which  you  fired,  I  should  now  be  among  tho>e  lying 
there,  covered  with  glory;  —  a  very  fine  thing  in  the- 
ory to  be  covered  with,  but,  practically,  I  would  rather 
be  alive,  and  have  less  of  it.  However,  I  mustn't  stop 
talking  here.  By  the  by,  there's  Mr.  Bryan  has  found 
you  out.  I  will  tell  him  how  you  have  behaved,  and  I 
dare  say  that  he'll  not  get  you  into  trouble,  if  he  can 
liclp  it." 

I  thought  that  would  be  very  kind  in  Mr.  Bryan. 
It  did  not  occur  to  me  that  I  had  done  any  thing  to 
l)e  proud  of;  nor  had  I,  indeed,  I  had  done  what  I 
ought  not  to  have  done.  I  wanted  to  see  some  fight- 
ing ;  I  had  seen  it.  and  just  then  I  felt  that  I  did  not 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  65 

want  to  see  any  more.  The  face  of  that  dead  midship- 
man haunted  me.  I  had  had  a  sort  of  notion  that  mid- 
shipmen could  not  be  killed,  and  now  I  had  had  proof 
positive  to  the  contrary.  I  felt  unusually  grave  and 
sad.  For  a  long  time  I  could  not  get  the  face  out  of 
my  head.  I  believe  that  it  contributed  to  sober  me, 
and  to  prevent  me  from  being  the  reckless  creature  I 
might  otherwise  have  become. 

Day  broke  as  we  hove  in  sight  of  the  squadron,  and 
loud  cheers  saluted  us  as  we  brought  up  in  triumph 
among  them.  A  prize  crew  was  put  in  charge  of  the 
captured  ship,  and  I  returned  in  the  pinnace  with  the 
boatswain  to  the  Doris.  I  was  in  hopes  of  getting  on 
board  without  being  observed,  but  too  many  eyes  were 
gazing  down  on  us  for  me  to  do  that.  Spellman  was, 
of  coui'se,  one  of  the  first  to  discover  me. 

"  What  you  there,  '  hop  o'  me  ? '  "  he  exclaimed  ; 
"  how  did  you  tumble  into  the  boat  ?  " 

"  Don't  answer  him,"  whispered  the  boatswain,  as  we 
climbed  up  the  side ;  "  I'll  let  him  know  what  I  think 
of  you  and  him." 

I  ran  down  below  as  fast  as  I  could  to  change  my 
clothes  and  wash,  for  I  was  dreadfully  dirty,  covered 
from  head  to  foot  with  powder  and  blood.  The  first 
person  I  encountered  was  Toby  Bluff. 

"  0  Muster  INIerry,  Muster  Merry !  Be  you  really 
and  truly  alive?"  he  exclaimed,  throwing  his  arms 
round  my  neck,  and  bursting  into  tears.  "  They  told 
me  you  was  gone  away  to  be  killed  by  the  Frenchmen, 
and  I  never  expected  to  see  you  more ;  that  I  didn't. 
But  is  it  yourself,  squire?  You  looks  awful  smoky  and 
a* 


6G  MARMADUKK    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

bloody  loike.  Where  are  all  the  wounds  ?  You'll  be 
bleeding  to  death,  sure.     Let  me  run  for  the  doctor." 

He  would  have  been  off  like  a  shot,  but  I  assured 
him  that  I  was  not  hurt.  After  he  was  satisfied  that 
such  was  the  case,  I  despatched  him  to  the  cook's  galley 
to  procure  some  hot  water,  with  which,  and  the  aid  of 
soap,  1  managed  speedily  to  get  rid  of  the  stains  of  the 
fight.  By  the  time  I  got  to  rights,  breakfast  was  on  the 
table,  and  I  went  into  the  berth  and  sat  myself  down 
as  if  nothing  had  happened.  I  flattered  myself  that 
my  messmates  looked  at  me  with  considerable  respect, 
though  they  badgered  me  not  a  little. 

"  Where  have  been,  youngster?"  said  one.  "You'll 
catch  it,  ray  boy  !  " 

"  What  have  you  been  about.  Merry?  "  asked  old  Peri- 
gal,  who  was  rather  annoyed  at  not  having  been  allowed 
to  go.  "  Getting  most  kicks  or  halfpence,  I  wonder  ? 
but  '  duty  is  duty,  and  discipline  is  discipline,' as  the 
master  remarks ;  and  you  mustn't  be  playing  these 
pranks,  my  bo}',  or  you'll  get  knocked  on  the  head,  or 
turned  out  of  the  service.  Over  zeal  is  not  approved 
of  at  head-quarters." 

I  went  on  eating  my  breakfast  with  perfect  equanim- 
ity, and  I  very  soon  found  that  my  messmates  were 
eager  to  have  an  account  of  the  expedition,  which  I 
was  able  to  give  them  with  tolerable  clearness.  I  was 
still  somewhat  uncomfortable  as  to  what  the  captain 
would  say,  and,  before  long,  he  sent  for  me.  I  went 
trembling.  He  received  me,  however,  very  kindly, 
though  he  was  somewhat  grave. 

"  The  boatswain  speaks  in  the  highest  terms  of  your 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPJEAN.  67 

coolness  and  courage,  and  says  that  you  saved  his  life. 
I  am  therefore  willing  to  overlook  your  infraction  of 
the  rules  of  discipline  on  this  occasion,  but  remember 
that,  however  well  you  may  behave  in  other  respects, 
you  can  never  make  wrong  right.  In  consequence  of 
this,  I  cannot  speak  of  your  bravery  in  public  as  I 
should  have  liked  to  do." 

This  was  a  good  deal  for  the  captain  to  say,  and  more, 
1  felt  conscious,  than  I  deserved.  The  officers  were 
very  civil  to  me,  and  I  felt  that  I  had  certainly  risen  in 
public  estimation,  and  was  no  longer  looked  upon  as  a 
little  boy. 

A  few  days  after  this,  Spellman  came  into  the  berth 
in  a  great  rage,  stating  that  he  had  overheard  the  boat- 
swain say  that  Mr.  Merry  was  worth  his  weight  in 
gold,  and  that .  he,  Spellman,  was  not  worth  his  in 
l^aving-stones. 

"  Listeners  never  hear  any  good  of  themselves,"  ob- 
served one. 

"  And  if  your  are  not  worth  your  weight  in  paving- 
stones,  I  should  like  to  know  what  you  are  worth  ? " 
asked  old  Perigul. 

"  I  am  much  obliged  to  the  boatswain  for  his  good 
opinion  of  me,"  said  I.  "  But  he  probably  was  thinking 
of  the  saying  that  London  is  paved  with  gold,  and 
meant  to  say  that  you  were  worth  your  weight  in  gold 
paving-stones." 

"  That  may  be,"  answered  Spellman,  willing  to  be 
pacified  ;  "  but  I  cannot  say  I  liked  his  tone." 

On  this  there  was  a  general  laugh.  The  boatswain's 
tone  was  well  known.     It  was  wonderful  what  witliering 


68  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    TUE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

contempt  he  could  throw  into  it.  The  men  dreaded  it 
more  than  they  did  even  his  rattan,  and  that,  in  his 
band,  was  a  somewhat  formidable  weapon.  I  remem- 
bered his  promise  when  Spellman  was  quizzing  me,  on 
our  return  i'rom  capturing  the  Chevrette,  and  I  found 
that  he  had  fulfilled  it.  1  thanked  him  the  next  time 
we  met  off  duty. 

"  Yes,  Mr.  Merry ;  I  like  to  serve  my  friends,  and 
serve  out  my  enemies.  Not  that  poor  Mr.  Spellman 
is  an  enemy  of  yours  or  mine ;  but  —  I  say  it  with  all 
due  respect  —  he  is  a  goose,  and  I  like  to  baste  geese." 

I  did  not  repeat  to  Spellman  wliat  Mr.  Johnson  had 
said  of  him.  I  had  an  intuitive  feeling  that  it  was 
harmful  to  tell  a  person  what  another  says  of  him, 
except  it  happens  to  be  something  especially  pleasant. 
I  believe  more  ill-blood  and  mischief  is  created  in  that 
way  than  in  any  other. 

Soon  after  this,  we  sailed  on  a  cruise  to  the  westward, 
for  the  purpose  of  intercepting  some  of  the  enemy's 
homeward-bound  merchantmen. 

Notwithstanding  what  I  have  said  of  Spellman,  I 
was  in  reality  on  very  good  terms  with  him.  He  was 
continually  playing  me  tricks ;  but  then  I  paid  him  off 
in  his  own  coin.  I  had,  however,  made  the  friendship 
of  another  messmate,  George  Gray  by  name.  He  was 
about  my  own  age  and  size,  and  came  from  Leicester- 
shire, but  from  a  different  part  of  the  county  to  that 
where  my  family  lived.  I  liked  him,  because  he  was 
such  an  honest,  upright  little  fellow.  No  bullying  or 
persuasion  could  make  him  do  what  he  thought  wrong. 
I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  he  never  did  any  thing  that 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  69 

was  wrong.  When  lie  did,  it  was  without  reflection. 
I  never  knew  him  to  do  premeditated  harm.  We  stuck 
by  each  other  on  all  occasions ;  skylarked  together, 
studied  navigation  together ;  and  when  we  were 
together,  the  biggest  bully  in  the  mess  held  us  in 
respect.  Mr.  Johnson  liked  George  Gray  as  much  as 
he  did  me. 

I  had  never  yet  got  the  boatswain  to  commence  his 
history.  I  told  Gray  that  I  was  determined  to  get  it 
out  of  him,  as  it  was  certain  to  be  amusing,  though  we 
agreed  that  we  were  not  bound  to  believe  all  he  said. 
He  certainly  was  an  extraordinary  character.  A  boaster 
and  a  man  (I  do  not  like  to  use  a  harsh  term)  who  is 
addicted  to  saying  what  is  not  true,  is  generally  found 
to  be  a  coward,  and  often  a  bully  ;  whereas  my  worthy 
friend  was  as  brave  as  a  lion,  and,  gruff  as  was  his 
voice,  as  gentle  as  a  lamb,  as  he  used  to  say  of  himself, 
if  peoi)le  would  but  stroke  him  the  right  way  ;  and  I 
can  assert  a  kinder-hearted  monster  never  lived.  Gray 
and  I,  one  afternoon  when  it  was  our  watch  below, 
found  him  in  his  cabin.  He  was  taking  his  after-dinner 
potation  of  rum  and  water,  yclept  "  grog,"  and  reading 
by  the  light  of  a  purser's  dip. 

"  Come  in,  young  gentlemen,  come  in,  and  be  seated," 
he  sung  out ;  and  as  we  willingly  obeyed,  he  added, 
"  This  is  what  I  call  enjoyment  —  food  for  the  mind  and 
moisture  for  the  whistle.  We  have  not  many  oppor- 
tunities for  mental  improvem^ent  and  the  enjoyment  of 
light  literature,  as  you  may  have  discovered  by  this 
time  ;  and  to  a  man,  like  myself,  of  refined  taste,  that  is 
one  of  the  gi'eatest  drawbacks  to  our  noble  profession." 


70         :\rARM.vr>fKK  metiky.  the  mipsiiipman. 

Gray  and  I  did  not  exactly  understand  what  he 
meant ;  but,  after  letting  hira  run  on  for  a  little  time, 
we  told  him  why  we  had  come,  and  begged  him  to 
indulge  us  by  commencing  at  once. 

"  There  is,  as  you  sagaciously  observe,  young  gentle- 
men, no  time  like  the  present  for  doing  a  thing  which  is 
to  be  done;  and  so"  —  and  he  cleared  his  throat  with 
a  sound  which  rang  along  tlie  decks  —  "I  will  begin. 
But  remember,  now,  I'll  have  no  doubting  —  no  cavilling. 
If  you  don't  choose  to  believe  what  I  say,  you  need  not 
listen  any  more.  I  will  not  submit  to  have  my  word 
called  in  question." 

"  Heave  ahead  !  "  said  a  voice  outside ;  I  suspected  it 
was  Spellman's.  I  soon  found  that  there  were  several 
other  listeners,  and  was  afraid  Jonathan  would  refuse 
to  go  on ;  but,  in  reality,  he  liked  to  have  a  large 
audience,  and  seasoned  his  descriptions  accordingly. 
Again  he  cleared  his  throat,  and  said,  — 

"  I'll  begin  —  as  I  remarked.  My  mother  was  a 
wonderful  woman.  I  have  a  great  respect  for  her 
memory.  Joan  of  Arc,  Queen  Dido,  or  the  Roman 
Daughter  could  not  hold  a  candle  to  her.  She  was  up 
to  any  thing,  and,  had  opportunities  offered,  would  have 
been  the  first  woman  of  her  age.  As  it  was,  she  made 
herself  pretty  well  known  in  the  world,  as  you  shall 
hear.  When  she  was  quite  a  young  woman,  she  once 
on  a  time  became  a  first  lieutenant  of  a  dashing  frigate. 
When  the  captain  was  killed,  she  took  the  ship  into 
action,  fought  two  line-of-battle  ships  broadside  to 
broadside,  and  then,  when  there  was  not  a  stick  left 
standing,  carried  them  by  boarding.     She  would  have 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  71 

brought  both  of  them  into  port,  but  one  went  down  from 
the  severe  hammering  she  had  given  them.  You  doubt 
what  I  am  telling  you,  young  gentlemen,  do  you  ?  Well, 
then,  I'll  give  you  proof  enough  to  satisfy  any  candid 
mind  that  I  am  speaking  the  truth.  You  must  know 
that  there  is  a  song  written  about  her  ;  and,  of  course, 
if  she  hadn't  done  what  I  have  been  telling  you  it 
v/ouldn't  have  been  written.     It  runs  thus  : 

"  Billy  Taylor  was  a  smart  young  sailor, 
Full  of  life  and  full  of  glee, 
And  he  went  a  courting  Molly  Nailor, 
A  maiden  fair  of  liigh  degree." 

"  That  maiden  fair  was  my  mother.  Billy  Taylor, 
do  you  see,  went  a  courting  her,  and  swore  that  he 
loved  her  better  than  the  apple  of  his  eye,  or  a  ship  load 
of  prize-money,  and  no  end  of  glasses  of  grog,  and  fifty 
other  things,  and  that  her  cheeks  were  like  roses  from 
Persia,  and  her  breath  sweeter  than  the  essence  of  all 
the  gales  of  Araby  that  ever  blew,  and  all  that  sort  of 
thing.  She  believed  him,  for  she  was  young  and 
tender  hearted,  and  did  not  know  what  horrible  false- 
hoods some  men  can  tell.  I  do  hate  a  fellow  who 
doesn't  speak  the  truth.  Now,  do  you  see,  that  scoundrel 
Taylor  was  only  bamboozling  her  all  the  time,  for  he 
went  away  and  fell  in  with  another  lady  who  had  more 
of  the  shiners,  though  less  beauty,  and  he  having  brought 
to  bear  the  whole  broadside  of  false  oaths  he  had  been 
firing  away  at  my  respected  mother,  the  other  lady 
struck  her  flag  and  became  his  wife.  Like  other  wild 
blades  of  his  stamp,  he  soon  ran  through  all  the  poor 


72  MARMADUKE    MKRRT,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

girl's  money,  so  he  wasn't  a  bit  the  better  for  it,  and  she 
was  very  much  the  worse.  When  she  had  no  more  left 
for  him  to  lay  his  hand  on,  he  had  to  go  to  sea  again. 

''  My  mother,  who  was  not  my  mother  then,  you'll 
understand,  because  I  wasn't  born  till  some  years  after 
that,  —  and  I'm  proud  to  say  that  my  father  was  a  very 
different  man  to  Billy  Taylor.  He  was  an  honest  man ; 
and  when  Miss  Naylor  found  out  all  about  Billy  Taylor's 
treachery,  she  resolved  to  be  avenged  on  him.  He  had 
entered  on  board  the  Thunder  bomb,  and  she  heard  of 
it.  Accordingly  she  rigged  herself  out  in  a  suit  of  sea- 
man's clothes,  and  as  her  father  was  a  seaman,  —  an 
officer,  of  course  (my  parentage  was  respectable  on  both 
sides),  —  and  she  knew  all  about  seamen's  ways  and 
sayings,  she  very  easily  passed  for  one. 

"  One  fine  morning,  off  she  set  in  her  new  toggery 
for  Portsmouth,  where  the  Thunder  was  fitting  out. 
She  had  provided  herself  with  a  loaded  pistol,  which 
she  kept  in  her  pocket,  vowing  to  revenge  herself  on 
the  traitor  Taylor. 

"As  the  Thunder  was  short  of  hands,  the  captain 
was  very  glad  to  enter  the  smart  young  seaman  she 
seemed  to  be  when  she  presented  herself  before  him. 

"  Billy  Taylor  was  aboard,  and  when  she  caught  sight 
of  his  face  she  had  some  difficulty  in  keeping  her  fingers 
off  it,  I  believe  you.  Not  that  she  was  otherwise,  I'll 
liave  you  understand,  than  a  mild-tempered  woman, 
when  she  had  her  own  way,  but  she  had  received  a  good 
deal  of  provocation,  you'll  allow.  The  deceiver  didn't 
know  her,  and  all  went  on  smoothly  for  some  time.  She 
proved  herself  so  smart  and  active  a  seaman  (or  sea 


MAKMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  73 

woman,  —  I  should  say  a  mennaid,  eh?)  that  she  soon 
got  made  captain  of  the  main-top  over  the  head  of  Billy 
Taylor  and  many  older  hands.  How  they  would  have 
fired  up  if  they  had  known  the  truth  ! 

"  At  last  the  Thunder  sailed  down  channel,  and  my 
mother  began  to  fancy  that  all  the  things  that  she  had 
heard  about  Taylor  might  be  false,  and  all  her  old  feel- 
ing for  him  came  back.  However,  as  his  ill  luck  would 
have  it,  the  ship  put  into  Plymouth  Sound,  and  as  she 
lay  there  a  boat  came  off  from  Causand  with  a  lady 
in  it. 

"  Billy  Taylor  watched  the  boat  till  siie  came  alongside, 
and  when  the  lady  stepped  on  deck  he  kissed  her  lips 
and  folded  her  in  his  arms. 

"  Miss  Naylor  was  standing  by.  The  scene  was  too 
much  for  her. 

"  '  Oh,  you  foul  traitor  ! '  she  exclaimed,  drawing  her 
pistol  just  as  the  lady  and  the  deceiver  Billy  were  walk- 
ing forward  hand  in  hand.     '  Take  that ! ' 

"  Off  went  the  pistol,  and  the  false  lover  tumbled 
over  as  dead  as  a  herring.  The  lady,  at  first,  was  in- 
clined to  go  into  what  the  uneducated  sailors  call  high- 
strikes  —  you  understand,  young  gentlemen  ;  but  she 
was  a  strong-minded  woman,  and  when  she  heard  how 
Billy  had  been  deceiving  another  girl,  she  said  it  served 
him  riglit,  and  that  she  would  have  nothing  more  to  say 
to  him,  dead  or  alive ;  and,  stepping  into  her  boat,  away 
she  went  ashore  at  Causand,  where  she  had  come  from. 

"  The  captain  of  the  Thunder,  when  he  found  out 
that  my  mother  was  a  woman,  and  how  she  had  been 
treated  by  Billy  Taylor,  as  the  song  says,  '  very  much 


74  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

approved  of  what  she'd  done,'  and  declared  that  she  was 
a  fine-spirited  girl  (which  she  certainly  had  proved  her- 
self to  be),  and  that  he  would  make  her  his  first  lieuten- 
ant as  soon  as  there  was  a  vacancy.  You  see  they  did 
things  differently  in  those  days  to  what  they  do  now. 
No  one  ever  hears  now  of  a  young  wonnan  being  made 
first  lieutenant,  though  it  is  said  there  are  many  old 
women  higher  up  in  the  list ;  but  it  wouldn't  become 
me,  holding  the  subordinate  situation  of  a  boatswain,  to 
credit  the  fact.  The  captain  very  soon  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  fulfilling  his  word,  for  in  a  very  short  time  the 
ship  went  into  action,  and  his  next  in  command  being 
killed,  he  gave  Miss  Naylor  the  death  vacancy,  and 
then  she  became  first  lieutenant  of  the  gallant  Thunder 
bomb.  However,  young  gentlemen,  I  must  put  a  stop- 
per on  my  jaw  tackle  just  now.  I  have  had  uninvited 
listeners  to  my  veracious  and  authentic  history,  and  I 
hope  they  have  benefited  by  it." 

Mr.  Johnson  placed  his  finger  on  the  side  of  his  nose, 
and  winked  one  of  his  piercing  eyes. 

"  The  fact  is,  I  like  to  indulge  in  my  faculty  of  inven- 
tion and  amplification,  and  you  may  possibly  have  an 
idea  that  I  have  done  so  in  the  account  I  have  given 
you  of  my  female  parent's  early  adventures.  Ho!  ho  ! 
ho  !  "  and  he  heaved  back,  and  indulged  in  a  long,  low, 
hoarse  laugh,  such  as  a  facetious  hippopotamus  might  be 
supposed  to  produce  on  hearing  a  good  pun  made  by  an 
alligator. 

Spellman,  and  the  rest  who  had  been  listening  out- 
side, on  this,  beat  a  retreat,  suspecting,  probably,  that 
the  boatswain  had  been  laughing  at  them. 


MAR5IADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  75 

Our  watch  was  called,  and  Gray  and  I  had  to  go  on 
deck.  I  had  by  this  time  picked  up  a  hirge  amount  of 
miscelhuieous  nautical  knowledge  ;  so  had  Toby  in  his 
way.  As  to  going  aloft,  or  in  feats  of  activity,  few  of 
the  other  midshipmen  could  beat  me.  I  said  that  I 
could  swim  well.  Our  father  had  taught  us  all  at  an 
early  age,  and  I  could  accomplish  the  passage  across 
the  mill-pond  five  times  and  back  without  resting.  Toby, 
too,  after  I  had  saved  him  from  drowning,  had  learned 
the  art.     It  was  fortunate  for  us  that  we  had  done  so. 

We  had  returned  unsuccessful  from  our  cruise  to  the 
westward,  and  wei'e  somewhere  about  the  chops  of  the 
channel.  Night  was  coming  on,  and  it  Avas  blowing  very 
fresh. 

"  A  sail  on  the  lee  bow !  "  shouted  the  look-out  from 
the  mast-head.  The  wind  was  southwest,  and  the  frig- 
ate was  close-hauled,  heading  T^oward  Ushant. 

"  What  do  you  make  of  her  ?  Which  way  is  she 
standing?  "  asked  Captain  Collyer,  who  was  on  deck. 

"  Looks  like  a  lugger,  standing  up  channel,"  was  the 
answer. 

"  Up  with  the  helm,  keep  her  away !  "  exclaimed  the 
captain. 

"  All  hands  make  sail." 

In  an  instant  the  men  were  hauling  on  tacks  and 
sheets,  braces  and  bowlines  ;  the  yards  were  squared 
away,  studding  sails  were  set,  and  off  we  flew  before  the 
wind  like  an  eagle  at  its  prey.  The  chase  kept  on  be- 
fore the  wind.  I  had  gone  up  into  the  fore-top,  though 
I  had  no  business  to  be  there,  but  it  happened  to  be  the 
station  of  my  particular  chum,  Gray,  and  I  could  en- 


76  MARJIADUKE    .MF.nUY,    TIIK    MIDSHirMAN. 

joy  a  better  sight  of  the  chase  from  thence,  than  else- 
where. 

As  the  evening  advanced,  tlic  wind  increased,  but  we 
were  gaining  rapidly  on  the  chase,  and  of  course  the  (;ap- 
tain  was  unwilling  to  shorten  sail.  Stays  and  braces 
grew  tauter  and  tauter,  studden  sail-booms  cracked,  and 
the  topgallant  masts  bent  like  willow  wands. 

"  We  are  going  to  get  it,"  observed  the  captain  of  the 
top. 

lie  was  right.  Away  flew  the  main-toi)gallant  studden 
sail ;  the  topmast  studden  sail  followed.  At  the  same  mo- 
ment, the  foremost  guns  with  a  loud  roar  sent  a  couple 
of  shot  after  the  chase.  It  was  getting  dark,  but  I  felt 
sure  that  one  had  struck  her  counter.  Still  she  held 
on,  and  we  continued  in  chase,  she  carrying  as  much 
sail  as  she  could  stagger  under. 

"  We  shall  carry  the  masts  out  of  the  ship  if  we  don't 
look  sharp,"  observed  the  captain  of  the  top. 

The  yards  cracked  more  than  ever. 

"  All  hands  shorten  sail,"  cried  the  captain  from  the 
deck.     "  In  with  the  studden  sails." 

AVlien  the  men  went  out  on  the  foreyard,  I,  to  show 
my  activity  and  daring  to  ray  messmate  Gray,  went  out 
also.  The  frigate  had  begun  to  pitch  and  roll  a  little. 
By  some  means  I  lost  my  hold,  and  should  have  fallen 
on  deck  and  been  killed,  had  she  not  rolled  at  the  mo- 
ment to  starboard,  and  sent  me  flying  overboard. 

"  There  goes  poor  ]\Iarmaduke  Merry,"  shouted 
Gray. 

I  was  plunged  under  the  water,  but  quickly  rose  to 
see  the  frigate  flying  by  me.     As  she  passed,  something 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  77 

was  thrown  from  the  deck,  and  the  next  instant  I  ob- 
served, I  fancied,  some  one  leap  from  the  mizen  chains. 
1  did  not  for  a  moment  suppose  that  I  was  going  to  be 
drowned,  but  how  I  was  to  be  saved  I  could  not  divine. 
I  swam  on  till  I  got  hold  of  a  grating  which  had  been 
thrown  to  me,  and  had  not  long  seated  myself  on  it  when 
I  heard  a  voice  sing  out  — 

"  All  right,  Master  Marmaduke  ;  I  said  I'd  go  wher- 
ever you  did,  but  to  my  mind  now  it  would  have  been 
better  to  have  stayed  on  board." 

It  was  Toby,  and  after  I  had  helped  him  up  alongside 
me,  I  assured  him  that  I  agreed  with  his  remark,  but 
that  I  could  not  help  it.  I  looked  anxiou^ly  for  the  frig- 
ate. Her  mighty  form  could  only  just  be  distinguished 
through  the  gloom,  and  the  lugger  could  nowhere  be 
seen. 

"  This  isn't  pleasant,"  said  I.  "  But  keep  up  your 
spirits,  Toby.  I  suppose  the  frigate  will  turn  to  look 
for  us,  and  if  not,  we  must  hold  on  till  the  morning,  when 
I  hope  we  may  be  picked  up  by  some  ship  or  other." 

"  Ne'er  fear,  Master  Marmaduke,"  answered  Toby. 
"  If  you  think  it's  all  right,  I'm  happy." 

I  certainly  did  not  think  it  all  right,  for  in  a  short 
time  it  became  so  dark  that  we  could  scarcely  see  our 
hands  held  up  before  our  eyes.  As  to  seeing  the  frig- 
age,  that  was  out  of  the  question,  even  if  she  passed 
close  to  us.  Hapjiily  the  gale  did  not  increase,  and  we 
were  able  to  hold  on  to  our  frail  raft.  We  couldn't  talk 
much.  I  felt  any  thing  but  merry.  Suddenly  the  grat- 
ing received  a  blow,  and  I  saw  a  dark  oljject  rising  up 
above  us.  I  was  thrown  against  it.  It  was  the  side  of 
7* 


ib  MAKMADUKE    MERRY,    TUE    MIUSIIir.MAX. 

a  vessel.  I  should  have  been  knoeked  off  the  grating 
had  I  not  found  a  stout  rope  in  my  hand.  I  drew  Toby 
to  me,  we  both  clutched  it ;  the  grating  slipped  from  un 
der  our  feet,  and  there  we  were  hanging  on  to  the  side 
of  a  strange  craft.  We  shouted  out,  and  were  at  once 
drawn  on  board,  and  by  the  light  of  a  lantern,  which 
was  held  up  to  examine  us,  I  found  that  we  were  on 
board  a  small  vessel,  and  surrounded  by  Frenchmen. 


MABMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  79 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  craft  on  board  which  Toby  Bluff  and  I  so  un- 
expectedly found  ourselves,  was  a  lugger,  as  I  dis- 
L'overed  by  perceiving  her  yards  lying  fore  and  aft 
along  the  decks.  It  was  evident  that  her  sails  had  been 
lowered  when  the  squall  came  on,  and  so  she  had  not 
been  observed  as  the  frigate  shot  by  in  the  darkness. 
Owing  to  this  circumstance  our  lives  had  in  all  prob- 
ability been  saved.  Not  that  I  thought  about  that  at 
the  time ;  on  the  contrary,  from  the  fierce  looks  of  our 
captors,  I  fancied  that  they  were  going  to  knock  us  on 
the  head,  and  I  wished  that  we  were  safe  back  on  dur 
raft  again.     Toby  seemed  to  feel  much  as  I  did. 

"  Oh,  Muster  Merry !  be  these  here  fellows  going  to 
eat  us  ?  "  he  asked  in  a  tone  of  alarm. 

"  I  hope  not,  Toby,"  I  answered.  "  If  they  take  us, 
buttons  and  all,  we  shall  stick  in  their  throats,  that's 
one  comfort.  However,  we  will  try  and  put  a  good 
fiice  on  the  matter,  and,  whatever  happens,  we  won't  be 
cast  down ;  only  I  hope  they  will  not  treat  us  as  we 
have  often  treated  millei''s-thumbs,  and  throw  us  into 
tlie  water  again." 

While  Toby  and  I  were  exchanging  remarks,  the 
Frenchmen  were  talking  to  each  other  and  occasionally 
asking  us  questions,  I  supposed ;  but  as  we  did  not  un- 
derstand a  word  of  each  other's  language,  neither  party 
was  much  the  wiser.     I  looked  about  me.     The  lug- 


80  MARMAUUKE    MERRT,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

ger's  decks  were  crowded  with  men,  and  she  liad  sev- 
eral guns  cast  loose,  ready  for  action.  She  was,  there 
could  be  no  doubt,  a  privateer.  I  knew  that  the  crews 
of  such  vessels  were  often  composed  of  the  worst  and 
most  unscrupulous  of  characters,  and  I  expected  noth- 
ing very  pleasant  at  their  hands.  At  last  the  captain, 
who  had  been  looking  out  forward  at  our  ship,  came 
up  to  us. 

"  So  you  one  little  officer  of  dat  frigate  dere,"  he  ob- 
served. 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  rather  proudly ;  "  I  have  that  honor." 

"  Sa !  "  He  gave  forth  a  particularly  unpleas- 
ant sound  from  his  throat,  "  You  betes  Anglish,  you 
send  my  wessel  to  bottom  last  cruise,  and  sixty  of  ray 
braves-gar9ons  wid  her.  I  vow  I  send  every  Anglish- 
maii  I  catch  to  look  for  them.     S-a-a — ." 

1  le  looked  so  vicious  that  I  thought  he  would  execute 
his  threat  forthwith.  I  did  my  best,  however,  to  put  on 
a  bold  front. 

"Whereabouts  did  this  happen.  Monsieur?"  I  asked 
quite  coolly. 

"  Some  twenty  leagues  to  eastward  dere,"  he  an- 
swered, looking  hard  at  me. 

"And  which  way  is  the  tide  making?"  I  inquired.  I 
happened  to  have  heard  the  Master  observe  just  before 
I  went  aloft,  that  the  tide  had  only  then  made  to  the 
westward. 

"  It  is  vat  you  call  ebb,"  said  the  French  captain. 

'•Then  you  see,  Monsieur,  that  there  is  no  use  throw- 
ing us  overboard  just  now,  because  we  should  drift 
away  to  the  westward,  and  your  late  vessel  and  crew 


MARIIADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  81 

must  be  somewhere  to  the  eastward,"  said  I,  as  boldly 
as  I  could,  though  I  had  no  little  difficulty  in  getting 
out  the  words. 

"Ah!  you  von  Jack-a-napes,  you  von  poule  —  littel 
fighting  coc,  I  see,"  he  remarked  in  an  altered  tone. 
"  Veil,  you  stay  aboard  ;  you  sweep  ray  cabin  ;  you  like 
dat  better  dan  drown." 

"  Certainly,  Monsieur,  very  much  better,"  said  I,  con- 
siderably relieved;  "I  shall  be  very  happy  to  serve 
you  in  any  way  I  can,  consistent  with  my  honor,  and 
perhaps  you'll  let  this  boy  here  help  me  ?  " 

"  Bah,  no  !  "  answered  the  captain,  giving  a  contemp- 
tuous glance  at  poor  Toby.  "  He  only  fit  to  sweep  out 
de  fore  hole." 

I  saw  that  it  would  not  be  wise  to  say  any  thing 
more,  so  I  held  my  tongue. 

The  captain  said  a  few  words  to  the  men^  and  while 
one  led  poor  Toby  forward,  another  conducted  me  to- 
ward the  companion  hatch.  Toby  turned  an  imploring 
look  at  me,  and  struggled  violently. 

"  O  Muster  jVIerry  I  Muster  Merry,  they  be  going 
to  cut  our  throats  and  heave  us  overboard.  I  know 
they  bees ;  but  don't  let  them  do  it  till  I  comes  to  be 
with  ee,"  he  cried  out.  "  Don't  ee,  now,  Muster ;  don't 
ee.' 

Poor  Toby,  finding  that  he  could  not  get  loose,  began 
kicking  and  struggling,  and  shouting  out  at  the  top  of 
his  voice.  This  seemed  to  afford  infinite  amusement  to 
the  Frenchmen,  who  imitated  him ;  but,  in  spite  of  all 
his  efforts,  dragged  him  forward.  I,  in  the  mean  time, 
was   taken    aft,  and   had  just   reached   the   companion 


82         MAioiAoncr,  Micmn",  thk  midsiiipmax. 

hatch,  down  wliich  the  men  were  going  to  thrust  me, 
when  the  captain  came  running  along  the  deck,  shout- 
ing out  to  his  crew.  My  captors  let  go  of  me.  In  an 
instant,  the  halliards,  tack?,  and  sheets  were  manned  ; 
sail  was  rapidly  made ;  and,  f\vo  or  more  reef's  having 
been  taken  in,  away  we  stood,  close  hauled  as  near  to 
the  north  west  as  the  wind  would  allow,  I  soon  learned 
the  reason  of  this  proceeding.  To  my  great  joy,  on 
looking  eastward,  I  discovered  the  frigate  looming 
tlu'ough  the  darkness,  about  half  gun-shot  distance  from 
us.  "Whether  the  lugger  was  seen  bj'  fho-e  on  board 
or  not  was  a  question.  I  rather  suspected  that  Cai)tain 
CoUyer  had  stood  back  to  look  for  Toby  and  me,  though 
it  was  almost  as  hopeless  as  looking  for  a  needle  in  a 
bundle  of  hay.  I  felt  very  sure  that  he  would  search 
for  us,  and  that  he  would  rather  lose  the  chance  of  cap- 
turing the -schooner  than  lose  us;  indeed,  1  hope  that 
there  are  not  many  naval  officers  who  would  not  have 
done  the  same.  I  anxiously  watched  the  Doris,  to  see 
what  she  would  do.  The  Frenchmen  very  naturally 
believed  that  she  was  coming  after  them.  While  the 
men  were  flattening  in  the  sheets,  Toby  made  his  es- 
cape, and  came  up  to  me. 

"  O  Muster  Merry,  who  be  those  people  ?  Where  be 
they  taking  us  to  ?  What  be  they  going  to  do  to  us  ?  " 
he  asked  in  a  subdued,  frightened  tone. 

"  Never  mind,"  said  I,  "  look  there." 

I  pointed  to  the  frigate,  which,  as  far  as  I  could  judge, 
seeing  her  through  the  darkness,  had  three  reefs  down 
in  her  topsails,  and  was  standing  toward  us,  heeling 
over  to  the  sale. 


MARMADUKE    MERRT,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  83 

"  Hurra  !  "  shouted  Toby.  "  All  right  now  ;  she'll 
soon  be  sending  this  here  craft  to  the  bottom.    Hurra  !  " 

"  Very  likely,"  said  I.  "  But  we,  perhaps,  shall  have 
to  go  with  her,  and,  just  now,  the  less  noise  we  make 
the  better,  or  the  Frenchmen  may  be  sending  us  below." 

Toby  was  silent. 

No  sooner  were  the  lugger's  sails  hoisted  than  she 
was  perceived,  and  in  half  a  minute,  to  set  the  matter 
at  rest,  a  shot  from  a  thirty-nine  pounder  came  flying 
between  the  masts.  Toby  ducked  his  head.  He  saw, 
however,  that  I  did  not  move  mine.  I  had  had  so  many 
flying  about  my  ears  the  night  we  took  the  Chevrette 
that  I  had  got  quite  accustomed  to  them.  Another  shot 
came,  and  Toby's  head  did  not  move,  as  far  as  I  could 
see.  I  dare  say  he  blinked  his  eyes  a  little  ;  but,  as  it 
was  dark,  I  am  not  certain.  It  was  a  trial  to  our 
nerves,  for  the  shot  whistled  near  our  shoulders,  and, 
though  we  could  not  help  feeling  proud  of  our  ship- 
mates' gunnery  practice,  we  would  rather  that  they  had 
not  aimed  so  well. 

"I  say,  Toby,  if,  like  the  boatswain's  acquaintance, 
you  get  my  head  on  your  shoulders,  be  honest ;  don't 
go  and  pass  yourself  off  for  me,"  I  observed. 

"  Lor,  Muster  Merry,  I  wouldn't  so  for  to  go  to  for- 
get myself,"  he  answered,  with  an  expression  of  horror 
in  his  voice. 

His  tone,  more  than  the  words,  made  me  burst  into  a 
fit  of  laughter. 

"  You  gar9on  not  laugh  long,"  observed  the  captain, 
as  he  hurried  aft  to  take  a  look  at  the  compass.  "  You 
merry  now,  you  ciy  soon  " 


84  MAKMAUUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

"  I'll  laugh  while  I  can  ;  it's  my  nature  to  be  merry, 
captain,"  I  answered,  determined  to  appear  as  brave  as 
possible.  "  But  I  say,  captain,  what  does  that  big  ship 
want  you  to  do  ?  " 

"  Ah  you  von  little  rogue,"  he  answered,  less  angrily 
than  I  might  have  expected.  "You  go  below,  or  you 
get  head  knock  off." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  I.  "  But  I  may  have  to  go  lower 
than  I  like  if  I  do,  so  I  would  rather  stay  on  deck  and 
see  what  is  going  forward." 

The  captain  merely  answered,  "  Bah,"  as  if  he  had 
too  much  to  think  of  just  then,  to  trouble  himself  about 
us,  and  issued  some  orders  to  his  crew.  Two  long  guns 
were  immediately  cast  loose  and  pointed  at  the  frigate. 

"  They  can't  hope  to  contend  with  her,"  I  observed  to 
Bluff.  But  they  did  though,  and  began  blazing  aw^ay 
in  right  good  earnest.  They  fired  high,  for  their  object 
was  to  wing  her.  If  they  could  have  knocked  some  of 
her  spars  away  they  would  have  had  a  better  chance  of 
escaping. 

The  lugger  was  evidently  a  very  fjist  craft,  and  held 
her  own  wonderfully.  This  was.  soon  perceived  on 
board  the  frigate,  which  began  to  fire  more  rapidly  than 
before.  Captain  Collyer  had  not  spared  powder  and 
shot,  and,  since  we  left  port,  the  men  had  been  every 
day  exercised  at  the  guns.  The  result  was  now  appar- 
ent by  the  number  of  shot  which  passed  through  the 
sails  of  the  lugger,  or  struck  her.  Still  the  Frenchmen 
seemed  in  no  way  inclined  to  yield.  The  captain  stood 
aft,  issuing  his  orders  with  the  greatest  coolness.  His 
officers    were    much    less    collected,  and    kept  running 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    TlIK    MIDSHIPMAN.  85 

about  with  ropes  in  their  bands,  frequently  striking  the 
men  if  they  flinched  from  their  guns.  The  lugger, 
which  was  really  a  very  powerful  vessel,  of  some  two 
hundred  and  fifty  tons,  tore  through  the  seas,  which 
came  in  cataracts  over  her  bows,  deluging  her  fore  and 
aft. 

I  was  glad  that  Toby  and  I  were  near  the  companion- 
hatch,  that  we  might  hold  on  tight  to  it.  The  scene 
was  stirring  in  the  extreme  ;  rather  more  than  was 
jileasant  indeed.  I  did  not  like  the  slate  of  things,  and 
Toby's  teeth  began  to  chatter  in  his  head.  It  was  very 
dark.  The  wind  roared  through  the  rigging  ;  the  sails, 
extended  to  the  utmost,  would,  I  thought,  burst  from  the 
boltropes,  or  carry  the  stout  mast  out  of  the  vessel. 
The  lugger  heeled  over  till  the  men  at  the  guns  were 
up  to  their  knees  in  water,  and  at  last  they  could  only 
fire  as  she  rolled  to  windward.  It  must  be  remembered 
that  the  frigate  was  to  leeward.  Though  she  sailed 
faster  than  the  lugger,  the  latter  was  weathering  on  her. 
My  knowledge  of  seamanship  scarcely  enabled  me  to 
form  a  correct  judgment  as  to  the  Frenchman's  chance 
of  escape,  but  still  I  did  not  fancy  that  any  thing  could 
run  away  from  the  Doris,  —  our  frigate,  —  which,  I 
was  fully  persuaded,  was  the  perfection  of  naval  archi- 
tecture, and  every  thing  a  ship  should  be.  The  French- 
men were  all  this  time  wonderfully  silent,  except  when 
a  shot  whistled  past  their  ears  or  struck  the  vessel,  and 
then  they  gave  way  to  volleys  of  oaths  and  execrations, 
the  meaning  of  which,  however.  I  did  not  understand. 
They  appeared  very  resolute,  and  I  thought  fully  ex- 
pected to  escape. 


86  MARMADUKE    MERRT,    THFC    MID.-IIIPMAN. 

On  we  tore  through  the  raging  sea,  and  often  so 
blinded  were  we  with  the  showers  of  spray  which  fell 
on  board,  that  the  flashes  of  the  guns  alone  showed  us 
the  position  of  the  frigate.  I  was  saying  that  1  was  sure 
Captain  Collyer  would  do  his  best  to  pick  Toby  and  nie 
ii[),  and  now,  when  I  saw  him  ciiasing  the  lugger,  it 
occurred  to  me  that  he  must  have  either  guessed  that 
we  were  on  board  her,  or  that  he  must  have  come  to 
the  conclusion  that  we  were  lost; 

"  I  wonder  what  they  are  saying  about  us  ?  "  I  re- 
marked, partly  to  Toby  and  partly  to  myself.  "  Mr. 
Johnson  will  be  sorry  for  us,  and  so  will  Gray,  and  so, 
I  really  believe,  will  old  Perigal.  I  don't  think  Spell- 
man  will,  thougli.  I  rather  suspect  he'll  be  for  consti- 
tuting himself  my  heir,  and  taking  possession  of  my 
books  and  things.  However,  I  hope  we  may  some  day 
get  on  board  again,  and  make  him  disgorge." 

There  did  not  seem  much  chance  of  that  though. 
Every  moment  I  expected,  should  a  shot  not  send  her 
first  to  the  bottom,  to  see  the  lugger  run  her  bows  right 
under,  as  she  tore  on  tlirough  tlie  raging  waters.  Tiie 
frigate  seemed  to  be  gaining  very  little,  if  at  all,  on  us. 
The  Frenchmen  naturally  calculated  on  the  darkness 
increasing,  and  when  once  out  of  her  sight,  on  being 
able  to  alter  their  course,  and  get  clear  away.  I  de- 
voutly hoped  that  they  would  not.  Hours,  it  seemed 
to  me,  passed  away ;  still  the  lugger  and  the  frigate 
held  their  relative  positions,  the  latter  firing  occasion- 
ally, but  the  Frenchmen,  after  a  time,  ceased  doing  so  ; 
indeed,  in  the  heavy  sea  running,  they  could  scarcely 
work  their  guns.     Tlii'   wind  increased,  but  there  was 


MARMADUKE    MERRT,    THE    MIDSIITPMAN.  87 

no  sign  of  shortening  sail ;  the  sky  sent  clown  deluges 
of  rain  ;  it  became  darker  than  ever.  I  had  never,  I 
thought,  taken  my  eyes  off  the  frigate,  except  when 
the  spray  dashed  over  me,  and  compelled  me  to  close 
them  for  a  moment.  I  was  looking  in  the  direction 
where  I  had  last  seen  her. 

**  Bluff,  do  you  see  her  ? "  I  exclaimed  suddenly, 
rubbing  my  eyes  at  the  same  time  with  all  my  might, 
to  bring  back  the  object  I  had  lost. 

"  No,  Muster  Merry.  To  my  mind  she  isn't  there," 
he  answered  positively. 

The  Frenchmen  were  of  the  same  opinion,  for  I 
heard  them  chatting  away  together,  and  laughing  heart- 
ily. Still  we  continued  on  the  same  tack.  Indeed,  to 
go  about  would  have  been  a  dangerous  operation,  and 
to  wear  would  have  lost  ground,  and  very  likely  have 
brought  the  lugger  back  in  sight  of  the  frigate.  No 
one  had  taken  any  notice  of  us  for  a  long  time.  The 
captain  now  came  to  the  companion. 

"  Ah,  you  brave  Gar^on,  come  here,"  he  said,  as  he 
descended. 

Giving  Bluff  a  pull,  as  a  sign  to  come  after  me,  I 
followed  him  below.  A  bright  lamp  swung  from  the 
deck  above,"  and  .exhibited  a  well-furnished,  if  not  a 
luxurious  cabin,  with  a  table  in  the  centre,  on  which, 
secured  in  the  usual  way,  were  bottles  and  glasses,  and 
deep  dishes  containing  various  sorts  of  viands. 

"  Come,  you  hungry ;  sit  down,"  said  the  captain,  — 
an  order  which  I  very  gladly  obeyed,  though  it  was  far 
from  easy  to  stick  on  my  chair,  or  to  convey  the  food 
to  aiy  mouth. 


S8  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSIIU'MAX. 

Pierre  !  "  shouted  the  captain,  and  a  man,  who  seemed 
to  be  his  steward,  got  np  from  a  corner  of  the  cabin 
where  he  had  been  asleep,  and  stood  ready  to  wait  on 
us.  The  captain  motioned  him  to  give  some  bread  and 
sausage  to  Toby,  who  retired  with  it  to  the  door,  where  • 
he  sat  down  to  eat  it  at  his  leisure. 

Our  host  did  not  talk  much.  He  put  a  few  ques- 
tions as  to  the  number  of  the  Doris's  guns,  and  their 
length  and  weight  of  metal,  and  whether  she  was  reputed 
a  fast  sailer;  to  all  which  questions  I  gave  honest  an- 
swers, and  he  seemed  satisfied.  He  rapidly  devoiued 
his  food,  and  was  evidently  in  a  hurry  to  be  on  deck 
again.  This  made  me  fancy  that  he  was  not  quite  so 
certain  of  having  escaped  the  frigate  as  I  had  at  first 
supposed.  A  glass  of  hot  wine  and  water  raised  my 
spirits,  for  I  had  been  so  long  in  my  wet  clothes,  that, 
although  the  weather  was  warm,  I  liad  become  very 
chilly.  Without  asking  his  leave,  I  handed  a  glass  to 
Toby,  who  wanted  it  as  much  as  I  did.  The  captain 
said  nothing,  but  when  he  got  up  to  go  on  deck,  he 
told  me  that  we  might  take  off  our  clothes,  and  turn 
into  one  of  the  berths  to  get  warm.  At  first  I  was 
going  to  do  so ;  but  I  could  not  help  fancying  that  some 
accident  might  happen,  and  that  I  would  rather  be 
dressed,  so  I  sat  down  with  Toby  on  the  deck,  holding 
on  by  the  legs  of  the  table. 

The  steward,  having  stowed  away  the  things,  went 
and  lay  down  in  his  corner,  and  soon,  by  his  loud  snores, 
showed  that  he  was  again  fast  asleep.  Toby  quickly 
followed  his  example  ;  and  I  had  been  dozing  for  some 
time,  though  I  thouirht  that  1  was  awake,  when  I  was 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  89 

aroused  by  the  report  of  a  gun  overhead.  The  lamp 
had  gone  out,  and  left  a  strong  odor  of  oil  in  the  close 
cabin.  The  gray  light  of  dawn  streamed  down  the 
companion-hatch.  Calling  Toby,  I  jumped  on  deck. 
There,  away  to  leeward,  was  the  frigate,  within  gunshot 
distance,  but  this  time  the  lugger  had  besfun  the  fiojht 
and  she  had  not  yet  fired.  The  wind  had  lessened,  and 
the  sea  had  gone  down  considerably.  The  frigate  was 
on  our  lee  quarter,  and  I  saw  that,  as  soon  as  she  opened 
her  fire,  our  chance  would  be  a  vei*y  small  one. 

The  French  captain,  and  his  officex's  and  men,  had 
got  two  guns  over  the  quarter,  having  cut  away  some 
of  the  bulwarks,  and  were  energetically  working  them, 
with  desperation  stamped  on  their  countenances.  Toby 
and  I  stood,  as  before,  holding  on  to  the  companion- 
hatch,  and  this  time  —  I  must  confess  it  —  my  teeth,  as 
well  as  his,  chattered  with  the  cold,  and  damp,  and  agi- 
tation. No  one  took  any  notice  of  us.  The  Frenchmen 
were  again  aiming  high,  in  the  hope  of  knocking  away 
some  of  the  frigate's  spars.  They  were  brave  fellows  ; 
I  could  not  help  admiring  them.  Shot  followed  shot  in 
rapid  succession.  I  wondered  that  Captain  Collyer's 
patience  was  not  exhausted. 

"  There  !  I  know'd  they'd  do  it,"  exclaimed  Toby, 
suddenly.     ''  And  catch  it  if  they  did  !  "  he  added. 

As  he  spoke  I  saw  a  white  splinter  glance  from  the 
fore  top-mast  of  the  frigate,  while  a  rent  appeared  in 
the  sail.  The  Frenchmen  shouted  as  if  they  had  done 
a  clever  thing,  but  they  had  little  to  sliout  for  ;  the  next 
instant  a  shower  of  round  shot  came  whistling  through 
our  sails,  some  just  above  our  heads,  two  struck  the 

8* 


90  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

lugger's  side,  and  one  killed  three  men  dead  on  the 
decks.  Though  I  knew  how  dangerous  was  our  position 
I  was  too  eager  to  see  what  was  taking  place  to  go 
below.  Still  the  gallant  French  captain  would  not 
strike,  but  stood  as  energetically  as  before,  encouraging 
his  men  to  work  the  guns.  I  wished  that  he  would 
give  in  though,  for  my  own  and  Toby's  sake,  nor  did  I 
think  that  he  had  a  chance  of  escaping.  There  he 
stood  full  of  life  and  energy,  now  hauling  on  a  gun- 
tackle,  now  looking  along  a  gun.  The  next  moment 
there  was  a  whistling  and  crash  of  shot,  and  I  saw 
several  mangled  forms  sent  flying  along  the  deck.  One 
was  that  of  the  brave  captain.  I  ran  to  assist  him,  but 
though  there  was  a  convulsive  movement  of  the  limbs, 
he  was  perfectly  dead.  At  the  same  moment  down 
came  the  lugger's  main-yard.  I  saw  that  it  was  com- 
pletely up  with  her  at  all  events.  Some  of  the  priva- 
teer's men  continued  at  the  guns,  but  the  greater  num- 
ber tumbled  headlong  down  below,  to  avoid  the  frigate's 
next  broadside.  My  eye  glancing  up  at  that  moment, 
I  saw  the  French  flag  still  flying.  Believing  that  the 
only  way  to  avoid  the  catastrophe  was  to  haul  it  down, 
followed  by  Toby,  I  ran  aft  to  do  so.  I  was  too  late. 
The  Frenchmen  fired,  and  another  crushing  broadside 
struck  the  lugger,  and  made  her  reel  with  the  shock. 
The  companion-hatch  was  knocked  to  pieces.  We 
should  have  been  killed  had  we  remained  at  our  former 
post. 

The  next  instant  there  was  a  fearful  cry  —  the  men 
who  had  gone  below  sprang  up  again  with  pale  faces 
and  cries  of  terror.     The  lugger  rushed  on,  made  one 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.  91 

fearful  plunge,  and  I  saw  that  she  was  sinking.  T  had 
kept  my  eye  on  the  wreck  of  the  companion-hatch. 
Dragging  Toby  with  me,  I  sprang  to  it  and  clutched  it 
tiglitly,  and  as  the  sea  washed  along  the  deck,  and  the 
sinking  vessel  disappeared,  we  found  ourselves  clinging 
to  it,  and  floating  on  the  summit  of  a  curling  wave.  As 
soon  as  I  had  cleared  my  eyes  from  the  water,  I  looked 
round  for  the  frigate.  She  was  in  the  act  of  heaving  to 
in  order  to  lower  her  boats.  The  sea  around  us  was 
sprinkled  with  struggling  forms,  but  not  half  the  lugger's 
crew  were  to  be  seen.  Numbers  must  have  gone  down 
in  her.  Shrieks  and  cries  for  help  reached  our  ears, 
but  we  could  assist  no  one.  Some  were  clinging  to 
spars  and  planks,  and  pieces  of  the  shattered  bulwarks; 
a  few  were  swimming,  but  the  greater  number  were 
floundering  about;  and  now  I  saw  a  hand  disappear  — 
now  two  were  thrown  up  to  sink  immediately  beneath 
the  waves  —  now  a  shriek  of  agony  reached  our  ears. 
It  was  very  terrible.  The  companion-hatch  to  which 
Toby  and  I  clung  had  been  so  knocked  about  that  it 
scarcely  held  together,  and  I  expected  every  moment 
•  that  it  would  go  to  pieces,  and  that  we  should  be  sepa- 
rated. I  earnestly  wished  foi'  the  boats  to  come  to  us, 
and  it  appeared  to  me  that  the  fi-igate  was  far  longer 
than  usual  in  heaving  to  and  lowering  them.  At  last, 
as  we  rose  to  the  top  of  a  wave,  I  saw  three  boats 
pulling  toward  us.  The  men  were  giving  way  with  all 
their  might  as  British  seamen  always  will  when  lives 
are  to  be  saved,  even  those  of  enemies.  Several  French- 
men had  been  picked  up,  when  I  saw  a  boat  making 
toward    us.     Mr.  Johnson  was  steering,  and  Spellman 


92  MARMADUKE    MERKV,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

was  the  midshipman  in  her.  We  were  not  recognized 
when  we  were  hauled  into  the  boat,  and  might  not  have 
been  had  I  not  said,  — 

"  What.  Spelhnan,  don't  you  know  me  ?  " 

"  You,  Merry,"  he  exclaimed,  looking  at  me  with  an 
astonished  gaze.  "  What  business  have  you  here  ? 
Why,  we  left  you  drowning  —  up  Channel  some- 
where —  hours  ago." 

"  Thank  you,  but  we  have  taken  a  cruise  since  then," 
said  I. 

"  And  rather  a  perilous  one,  young  gentleman," 
exclaimed  the  boatswain,  now  recognizing  me.  "  You 
had  the  shot  rattling  pretty  thick  about  you,  and  I  am 
heartily  glad  to  see  you  safe,  that  I  am."  And  he 
nearly  wrung  my  hand  off  as  he  shook  it.  "  I  never 
saw  guns  better  aimed  than  ours  were,  except  once,  and 
that  was  when  I  was  attacking  a  Spanish  line-of-battlo 
ship  in  a  jolly  boat.  I'll  tell  you  all  about  it  some  day, 
but  we'll  just  pick  up  some  of  these  drowning  French- 
men first.     Give  way,  my  lads." 

The  other  two  boats  rescued  several  of  the  lugger's 
crew  ;  we  got  hold  of  six  or  seven  more,  who  were 
floating  on  spars  or  planks ;  one  of  them  was  the  second 
officer  of  the  privateer  ;  but  out  of  a  hundred  and  forty 
men  who  were  on  her  decks  when  she  went  down,  not 
more  than  tliirty  were  rescued.  Toby  and  I  met  with 
a  very  pleasant  reception  when  we  got  on  board,  and 
as  soon  as  I  had  got  on  some  dry  clothes  and  had  had  a 
glass  of  grog  to  restore  my  circulation,  Captain  Collyer 
sent  for  me  into  the  cabin  to  hear  an  account  of  our 
adventures.     He  setined  highly  interested  when  I  told 


MARMADUKK    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN'.  93 

him  of  the  galhvntiy  of  the  French  captain,  and  expressed 
bis  regret  at  his  death.  A  brave  man  always  appre- 
ciates the  bravery  of  his  opponent.  When  I  got  back 
to  the  berth  I  had  to  tell  the  story  all  over  again,  and 
Toby,  I  have  no  doubt,  was  similarly  employed  among 
his  messmates. 

*'  It  is  very  evident,  Merry,  that  you  are  reserved  for 
a  more  exalted  fate,"  was  the  only  comment  Spellman 
made,  when  1  ceased. 

"  Thank  you,  Miss  Susan,"  I  answered  ;  "  I  owe  you 
one." 

"  It  is  a  great  pity  that  the  lugger  went  down, 
though,"  observed  old  Perigal ;  "  I  should  have  had  a 
chance  of  taking  a  run  home  in  her  as  prize-master,  and 
seeing  my  wife.  Besides,  she  might  have  given  us  a 
pinch  of  prize-money." 

The  regret  generally  expressed  was  rather  for  the 
loss  of  the  few  pounds  the  lugger  might  have  given  them 
than  for  that  of  the  men  who  formed  her  crew. 

"  What !  I  did  not  know  that  you  were  married,"  I 
observed  to  Perigal  when  he  said  he  was  married. 

"  But  I  am,  though ;  and  to  a  young  and  charming 
wife  who  deserves  a  better  husband,"  he  answered  in  an 
abrupt  way.  "  If  it  wasn't  for  her  I  shouldn't  be  now 
knocking  about  the  ocean  as  I  have  been  all  my  life  ; 
and  yet,  if  it  was  not  for  her  I  should  have  very  little 
to  keep  me  on  shore.  It's  the  prize-money,  the  booty, 
keeps  me  afloat.     I  am  an  arrant  buccanier  at  heart." 

''  I  should  not  have  supposed  you  that,"  said  I. 

It  was  now  evening,  and  old  Perigal  had  his  glass  of 
grog  before  him.  On  these  occasions  he  was  always 
somewhat  communicative. 


94  MARMADL'KE    MERRY,    TIIK    MIDSHIPMAN. 

"  I've  been  married  six  years  or  more,"  he  continued 
in  a  half  whisper.  "  My  wife  is  the  daughter  of  an  old 
shipmate  who  was  killed  in  action  by  my  side.  His  last 
words  were,  '  Take  care  of  my  orphan  child  —  my 
Mary.'  I  promised  him  I  would  as  long  as  I  had  life 
and  a  shilling  in  my  pocket.  I  expected  to  see  a 
little  girl  with  a  big  bow  at  her  waist,  and  a  doll  in  he-r 
arras  —  as  he'd  described  her.  He'd  been  five  years 
from  home  or  more,  poor  fellow.  Instead  of  tliat,  I  found 
a  handsome  young  woman,  tall  and  graceful.  What 
could  I  do  ?  I  was  struck  all  of  a  heap,  as  the  saying 
isl  and  I  discovered  at  last,  that  though  I  was  but  a 
mate  in  the  service,  and  an  old  fellow  to  boot  compared 
to  her,  she  liked  me ;  so  we  married.  I'd  saved  some 
little  prize-money,  and  I  thought  myself  rich;  but  it 
went  wonderfully  quick,  and  a  rogue  of  a  fellow  who 
borrowed  some  wouldn't  even  pay  me ;  and  if  it  hadn't 
been  for  the  sake  of  Mary  I  wouldn't  have  said  any 
thing  to  him,  but  let  the  coin  burn  a  hole  in  his  pockets. 
I  went  to  law,  and  the  upshot  was  that  I  lost  all  I  had 
remaining.  Now  came  the  tug  of  war.  Was  I  to  go 
to  sea  again  and  leave  Mary?  I  couldn't  bear  the 
thought  of  it.  Any  thing  would  be  better  than 
that.  I  would  enter  into  some  business.  A  bright 
idea  struck  me.  Tliree  or  four  hundred  pounds 
would  enable  me  to  carry  it  out.  Mary  and  I  agreed 
that  I  should  have  no  difficulty  in  getting  that,  I  had  so 
many  friends.  I  would  pay  them  a  good  interest.  I 
tried.  You  should  have  seen  how  they  buttoned  up 
their  pockets  and  pursed  up  their  lips ;  how  many 
wmilar  applications  they  had,  how  many  decayed 
relations    wanted    their   assistance !     They   didn't  say, 


MAEMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    JIIDSHIPMAN.  95 

however,  that  tliey  had  assisted  them.  I  had  no  business 
to  complain ;  I  had  made  a  mistake,  and  I  felt  ashamed 
of  myself.  At  first,  though  my  heart  swelled,  I  was 
very  angry ;  but  I  got  over  that  feeling,  and  I  resolved 
to  trust  to  myself  alone.  It  was  not  till  then  that  I 
recovered  my  self-respect.  I  say.  Merry ;  if  you  fancy 
that  you  have  many  fi-iends,  don't  you  ever  attempt  to 
borrow  money  from  them,  or  you'll  find  that  you  are 
wofully  mistaken.  Mary  and  I  talked  the  matter 
over,  and  she  settled  to  keep  a  school,  and  I  to  come  to 
sea  again. 

"  Tt  was  a  sore  trial,  youngster,  and  you  may  fancy 
that  a  rich  galleon  wouldn't  be  an  unacceptable  prize, 
to  save  the  poor  girl  from  the  drudgery  she  has  to  go 
through.  It  wasn't  the  way  her  poor  father  expected 
me  to  treat  her,  but  I  have  done  my  best ;  what  can  a 
man  do  more  ?  " 

The  old  mate  was  going  to  help  himself  to  another 
glass,  but  he  put  the  bottle  away  from  him  with  resolu- 
tion. I  had  observed  that  he  often  took  more  tlian  any- 
body else  in  the  mess ;  but  after  that,  whenever  I  saw 
him  doing  so,  I  had  only  to  mention  his  wife,  and  he 
instantly  stopped.  From  this  account  he  had  given  of 
himself,  I  liked  him  much  better  than  ever. 

I  one  day  asked  Mr.  Bryan,  who  knew  his  wife, 
about  her,  and  he  told  me  that  she  was  a  very  superior 
young  lady,  and  that  he  could  not  overpraise  her. 

Of  all  my  shipmates.  Gray  seemed  most  pleased  at 
having  me  back  again,  and  he  assured  me  that  had  he 
been  able  to  swim  he  would  have  jumped  after  me,  and 
I  believe  that  he  would  have  done  so.  I  promised  on 
the  first  opportunity  to  teach  him  to  swim.     People  are 


96  MARMADUKE    MEUnY,    THE    MIDSUIPMAX. 

surprised  that  so  many  sailors  cannot  swim,  but  the  truth 
is,  that  when  once  they  get  to  sea,  they  often  have  fewer 
opportunities  of  learning  than  have  people  living  on 
shore.  In  southern  climates  some  captains,  when  it  is 
calm,  allow  the  men  to  go  overboard  ;  but  in  northern 
latitudes  they  cannot  do  this,  and  many  captains  do  not 
trouble  themselves  about  the  matter.  My  advice  there- 
fore is,  that  all  boys  should  learn  to  swim  before  they 
come  to  sea,  and  to  swim  in  their  clothes. 

Next  to  Gray,  I  believe  that  Mr.  Johnson  was  most 
satisfied  that  I  was  not  drowned. 

"  I  had  written  an  account  of  what  had  happened  to 
your  disconsolate  parents,  and  had  taken  an  opportunity 
of  praising  you  as  you  deserved  ;  but  as  you  are  alive, 
I'll  put  it  by  ;  it  will  serve  for  another  occasion,"  he  ob- 
served. 

I  thanked  him,  and  begged  him  to  give  me  the  letter, 
which,  after  some  persuasion,  he  did.  I  enclosed  it  to 
my  sisters,  assuring  them  that  it  was  written  under  an 
erroneous  impression  that  I  was  no  longer  a  denizen  of 
this  world,  and  begged  them  not  to  be  at  all  alarmed,  as 
I  was  well  and  merry  as  ever : 

"  Sir,  —  Your  son  and  I,  though  he  was  only  a  mid- 
shipman, —  I  am  boatswain  of  this  ship  —  were,  I  may 
say,  friends  and  companions ;  and  therefore  I  take  up 
my  pen  to  tell  you  the  sad  news,  that  he  and  boy  Bluflf 
went  overboard  together  this  evening,  and  were  lost, 
though  we  didn't  fail  to  look  for  them.  It  may  be  a  con- 
solation to  you  to  know  that  they  always  did  their  duty, 
which  wasn't  much,  iiur  very  well  done,  nor  of  any  use 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  97 

to  anybody,  but  that  was  no  fault  of  theirs,  seeing  that 
they  didn't  know  better.  Then  you'll  not  fail  to  remem- 
ber that  there's  no  longer  any  chance  of  your  son  being 
hung,  which  has  been  the  fate  of  many  a  pretty  man, 
either  by  mistake  or  because  he  deserved  it,  and  that 
must  be  a  comfort  to  you.  I've  nothing  more  to  say  at 
present. 

"  From  your  obedient  servant, 

"Jonathan  Johnson, 
"  Boatswain  of  His  British  Majesty's  frigate  Doris." 

I  had  hopes  that  the  letter  would  afford  infinite  satis- 
faction to  my  home  circle. 

We  ran  back  to  Plymouth  with  our  prisoners,  and 
then  receiving  sealed  orders,  sailed  for  the  westward. 
On  the  captain  opening  his  orders,  we  found  that  we 
were  bound  out  for  the  North  American  and  "West  India 
station. 

One  day,  as  Mr.  Johnson  seemed  in  an  especially 
good-humor,  I  got  Gray  to  come,  and  we  begged  hard 
that  he  would  go  on  with  his  history. 

''  Ah  yes,  my  true  and  veracious  narrative,"  he  an- 
swered.   "  Ho !  ho  !  ho ! " 

His  ogre-like  laugh  sounded  along  the  deck,  and  served 
as  a  gong  to  summon  an  audience  around  him,  though 
only  a  favored  few  ventured  into  his  cabin. 

"  I  was  telling  you  about  my  maternal  parent,  the  es- 
timable Mrs.  Johnson.  I  was  alluding  to  times  before 
she  assumed  that  appellation,  or  became  my  parent.  I 
brought  up  my  history  to  the  period  when  she  became 
first  lieutenant  of  the  gallant  Thunder  bomb.  She  did 
9 


98  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

not  remain  in  that  craft  long,  for  the  captain,  officers,  and 
crew,  were  turned  over  to  a  dashing,  slashing,  thirty-six 
gun  frigate,  the  Firegobbler.  It  is  extraordinary  what 
a  number  of  actions  that  frigate  fought,  and  what  others 
■wonders  she  performed  —  all  owing  to  my  mother,  I  be- 
lieve you.  At  last,  one  day,  not  far  off  from  the  chops 
of  the  Channel,  a  large  ship,  under  Spanish  colors,  was 
sighted.  The  Firegobbler  gave  chase,  and  a  running 
fight  ensued,  during  which  a  shot  killed  the  captain,  and 
of  course  my  mother,  who  took  command,  followed  up 
the  enemy. 

**  Before  day  was  over,  another  Spanish  line-of-battle 
ship  hove  in  sight,  and  when  the  two  closed  each  other, 
they  hove-to,  and  waited  for  the  Firegobbler,  which 
wasn't  long  in  getting  into  action.  Then,  I  believe  you, 
she  did  give  them  a  hammering,  in  such  right  good 
earnest,  that,  before  the  sun  set,  they  cried  peccavi,  and 
struck  their  flags.  As  I  told  you,  the  other  day,  she 
brought  them  both  in  triumph  into  Plymouth.  Now, 
by  all  the  rules  of  the  service,  she  ought  to  have  been 
promoted,  you'll  allow ;  but,  by  some  means  or  other, 
the  Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty  found  out 
that  she  was  a  woman,  —  perhaps  some  jealous  fellow 
peached  on  her,  —  and,  think  of  their  ingratitude,  not 
only  wouldn't  they  give  her  a  commander's  rank,  but 
they  superseded  her,  and  would  by  no  manner  of  means 
allow  her  to  remain  in  the  ship.  To  my  mind,  those 
bigwigs  up  in  London  have  no  consciences.  What  en- 
couragement is  there  for  a  spirited  young  woman  to  go 
and  fight  her  country's  battles  ?  None !  that's  a  fact ! 
Miss  Nailor  had  to  go  on  shore.     But  she  couldn't  bear 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  99 

a  quiet  life ;  so,  slipping  on  seaman's  clothes  again,  she 
shipped  aboard  another  frigate,  but,  of  course,  she  had 
to  go  before  the  mast.  That  made  little  difference  to 
her ;  she  loved  the  sea  for  itself,  and  didn't  care  where 
she  was.  For  some  time  she  got  on  very  well ;  but  she 
didn't  always  remember  that  she  was  no  longer  a  first 
lieutenant  —  which  was  natural,  poor  thing!  Well,  one 
day,  when  off  the  coast  of  America,  she  quarrelled  with 
the  man  who  was  first  lieutenant,  and  meeting  him  on 
shore,  she  put  a  pistol  into  his  hand,  and  told  him  he 
must  fight  her.  He  was  a  spirited  fellow,  and  said  that 
he  never  refused  that  sort  of  invitation,  and  as  it  was  in 
the  chief  street  of  a  large  city,  they  had  plenty  of  sec- 
onds. Well,  they  fought,  and  she  had  the  misfortune  to 
shoot  him  through  the  heart.  Most  men  would  have 
died  immediately,  but  he  lived  long  enough  to  forgive 
her  for  what  she'd  done,  and  to  say  what  a  fine  fellow 
he  thought  her.  Of  course,  as  it's  against  the  articles 
of  war  to  shoot  a  first  lieutenant,  she  couldn't  go  aboard 
the  frigate  again ;  and  when  a  file  of  marines  came  to 
seize  her,  the  people  of  the  place  carried  her  off,  and 
wouldn't  give  her  up,  and  so  the  jollies  had  to  return 
without  her.  Two  parties  were  formed  in  the  place. 
Orie  said  she  ought  to  be  given  up,  and  the  other,  that 
she  ought'nt,  and  shouldn't,  and  that  they  wouldn't.  It 
was  one  of  the  secret  causes  of  the  American  revo- 
lution. 

"  Among  those  who  sided  with  her  was  a  Captain 
Johnson,  a  very  fine  man,  master  of  a  very  fine  ship, 
and  as  he  happened  to  want  a  mate,  he  asked  my 
mother  if  she  would  take  the  berth,  not  dreaming  all 


100         MARMADUKE    MEKRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

the  time  that  she  was  a  woman.  They  liad  a  good  deal 
of  talk  about  the  matter,  apd  as  she  had  taken  a  fancy 
to  him,  she  told  him  all  her  history.  I  have  said  that 
my  father  was  a  fine  man.  He  was  the  tallest  and 
smartest  man  I  ever  saw,  and  had  the  loudest  voice,  too, 
I  believe  you,  or  he  wouldn't  have  won  the  heart  of 
my  mother.  She  wasn't  a  woman  to  knock  under  to  an 
ordinary,  every-day  sort  of  man.  He  was  so  tall,  that  the 
barber  had  to  stand  on  the  table  to  shave  him,  and  as 
he  walked  along  the  streets,  he  could  hand  sugar-plums 
to  the  children  in  the  upper  windows;  and  his  voice  was 
so  loud,  that  he  once  made  a  stone-deaf  woman  jump 
off  her  chair,  right  up  to  the  ceiling  with  fright,  when 
he  raised  it  above  the  ordinary  pitch  to  speak  to  her ; 
and  he  was  so  strong,  that  he  made  nothing  of  lifting 
an  ale  cask  up  to  his  lips,  and  drinking  out  of  the  bung- 
hole.  He  was  the  man  to  command  a  ship's  company ! 
When  he  found  any  two  of  them  quarrelling,  he  would 
lift  one  up  in  each  hand,  with  outstretched  arms,  and 
he  would  then  knock  their  two  heads  together,  and  go 
on  bumping  harder  and  harder  till  they  promised  to  be 
friends. 

"  No  two  people  could  have  been  better  matched  than 
my  parents,  and  they  had  a  sincere  respect  for  each 
other.  They  were  above  any  thing  like  a  namby-pam- 
by, soft  sighing,  do-sweetest,  kiss-me  style  of  love.  My 
father  made  his  offer  from  the  deck  of  his  ship,  as  she 
was  standing  out  of  harbor,  and  my  mother  answered 
him  from  the  shore  through  a  speaking-trumpet.  The 
truth  was,  that  when  the  owners  heard  that  she  was  a 
woman,  they  didn't  approve  of  her  going  as  mate  ;  they 
thought  that  it  would  invalidate  the  insurance. 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         101 

"  The  wind  fell  outside,  so  he  dropped  anchor  and 
pulled  on  shore,  and  was  married,  and,  of  course,  off 
she  went  to  sea  with  him.  A  very  useful  wife,  too,  she 
made,  for  though  she  didn't  wear  the  breeches,  she 
could  take  the  command  of  the  ship  better  than  any- 
one else  on  board.  Thus  it  was  that  I  came  to  be  born 
at  sea.  There  was  a  terrific  gale  blowing,  and  the  ship 
was  running  under  bare  poles  during  the  time  that  im- 
portant event  in  the  world's  history  occurred. 

"  '  The  wind  it  wliistled,  the  porpoise  roll'd. 
The  dolphins  rear'd  then-  backs  of  gold ; 
And  never  was  heard  such  an  outcry  wild 
As  welcomed  to  life  the  ocean-child.' 

I  believe  you,  my  hearties,  that  was  a  gale !  I  don't 
believe  the  sea  ever  ran  so  high  before,  nor  has  ever 
run  so  high  since.  We  were  fully  half  an  hour  going 
up  the  side  of  one  sea,  and  nearly  a  quarter  sliding 
down  into  the  trough  on  the  other  —  so  I  have  been 
told :  I  cannot  say  that  I  remember  the  circumstance, 
though  I  do  recollect  things  which  happened  a  long 
time  ago. 

"  I  was  a  precocious  child,  let  me  tell  you.  I  had 
as  fine  a  set  of  teeth  as  ever  cracked  biscuit  by  the 
time  I  was  six  months  old,  and  lived  upon  lobscous'^ 
and  porter.  I  was  weaned  by  that  time,  and  I  wasn'-i 
two  years  old  when  I  could  go  aloft  like  a  monkey. 
It  wouldn't  Have  done  for  me  to  have  been  like  any 
every-day  sort  of  baby." 

I  was  almost  inclined  to  believe  Mr.  Johnson's  as- 
sertions, for,  as  I  looked  at  the  huge  red-nosed  man 
9* 


102         MARM.VDUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN 

before  me,  I  could  scarcely  persuade  myself  that  he 
bad  ever  been  a  baby  in  long  clothes. 

"  Speaking  of  monkeys,"  continued  Mr.  Johnson, 
rrinking  his  eye,  "  I  once  had  a  desperate  fight  with 
>ne,  when  I  wasn't  much  more  than  three  years  old. 
[  was  sitting  on  the  main-truck,  with  my  legs  dangling 
iown,  as  was  my  custom  when  I  wanted  a  good  allow- 
ince  of  fresh  air.  We  had  a  monkey  aboard,  —  a 
mischievous  chap,  —  and  when  he  saw  me,  be  swarmed 
ap  the  mast,  and,  putting  up  his  paw,  snatched  a  biscuit 
out  of  my  jacket-pocket.  I  gave  him  a  slap  on  the 
head,  and  in  return  he  bit  my  leg,  and  tried  to  pull 
me  down.  To  be  even  with  him,  I  jumped  on  his 
shoulders,  and  down  we  slipped  together,  till  we  reached 
the  topmast  crosstrees.  There  I  got  a  rope,  and  lashing 
him  to  the  heel  of  the  top-gallant-mast,  sung  out  to  the 
hands  in  the  top  that  they  might  see  what  I  had  done. 
You  may  be  sure  that  they  were  very  much  aston- 
ished. 

"  I  was  a  great  favorite  among  the  crew,  and  ran  no 
slight  chance  of  being  spoilt.  I  could  dance  a  horn- 
pipe with  any  man  on  board ;  and  as  for  singing  a 
rollicking  sea-song,  there  were  few  who  could  match 
me.  I  soon  learned  to  hand  reef,  steer,  and  heave  the 
lead,  as  well  as  any  man  on  board.  My  mother  was 
proud  of  me,  and  so  was  my  father ;  and  they  had  reason 
to  be,  and  that's  the  truth. 

•'  At  last  it  struck  them  tliat  they  ought  to  give  me 
some  education,  to  fit  me  to  become  an  officer  and  a 
gentleman.  I,  however,  was  not  fond  of  books,  but  I 
learned  to  read  chiefly  from   the   signboards  over  the 


MARMADUKE    MERKY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  103 

shop  fronts  along  the  quays  at  the  different  ports  to 
which  we  traded.  Not  that  I  required  much  instruc- 
tion, for  I  picked  up  knowledge  faster  than  most  people 
could  serve  it  out  to  me. 

"  I  was  one  morning  sent  on  shore  to  school,  but  the 
master  thinking  fit  to  cane  me,  I  tucked  him  up  under 
my  arm,  and  walked  off  with  him  on  board  the  ship, 
where  I  stowed  him  under  hatches,  and  kept  him  there 
till  he  promised  to  treat  me  in  future  with  more  re- 
spect. After  this  little  occurrence  we  were  very  good 
friends ;  but  when  the  ship  went  to  sea,  he  begged  that 
I  might  on  no  account  be  left  behind.  That  was  but 
natural,  for  I  hadn't  got  into  shore  ways  exactly." 

The  cry,  from  the  deck,  of  "  All  hands  make  sail ! " 
interrupted  Mr.  Johnson's  veracious  narrative. 

"  A  chase  in  sight,"  he  exclaimed ;  "  and  a  prize 
she'll  prove,  though  we  have  to  fight  for  her ! " 


104         MAKMADUKE    MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 


CHAPTER    V. 

Evert  officer,  man,  and  boy,  not  otherwise  especially 
engaged,  had  their  eyes  directed  ahead,  watching  the 
chase,  as  her  sails  gradually  rose  above  the  horizon. 
What  she  was  had  not  yet  been  ascertained.  She  might 
be  a  man-of-war,  or,  perhaps,  only  a  merchantman.  K 
the  first,  we  hoped  she  would  fight ;  if  the  latter,  that 
she  might  carry  a  rich  freight.  After  a  time,  I  saw  Mr. 
Johnson  rubbing  his  eyes,  and,  suddenly  bringing  his 
hand  down  on  his  thigh  with  a  loud  smack,  he  ex- 
claimed, — 

"  She's  only  a  Yankee  merchantman,  after  all." 

The  stranger  was  evidently  making  no  attempt  at 
escape  ;  indeed,  before  long,  she  lost  the  wind  altogether, 
though  we  carried  it  on  till  we  got  within  about  a  mile 
of  her.  "We  then  found  that  the  boatswain  was  right; 
indeed,  it  is  easy  to  know  an  American  merchantman 
by  her  light-colored  hull,  breadth  of  beam,  low  masts, 
square  yards,  and  white  canvas. 

As  we  lay  rolling  away,  a  boat  was  lowered  from  the 
stranger,  from  whose  peak  the  stars  and  stripes  hung 
down,  so  that  none  but  a  pi'actical  eye  could  have  made 
out  tlie  flag. 

The  boat  came  alongside,  and  a  gentleman,  in  a  broad- 
brimmed  straw  hat  and  jean  jacket,  stepped  on  board, 
with  a  cigar  in  his  mouth,  and  walking  aft  with  the 
greatest  coolness,  put  out  his  hand  to  Captain  Collyer, 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         105 

who,  looking  true  dignity  itself,  was  standing  on  the 
quarter-deck,  with  his  officers  round  him.  Not  a  little 
electrified  was  he  by  the  address  now  made  hini. 

"  How  goes  it  with  you,  skipper-?  "  quoth  the  stranger, 
almost  wi'inging  his  hand  off.  "  You've  a  neat  little 
craft  under  your  feet,  I  guess,  but  we've  got  some  who'd 
wallop  her  in  pretty  smart  time.  You'd  like  to  know 
who  I  am  ?  I'm  Captain  Nathan  Noakes  ;  I  command 
that  ship  there,  the  Hickory  Stick,  and  I  should  like  to 
see  her  equal.  She's  the  craft  to  go,  let  me  tell  you. 
"When  the  breeze  comes,  I'll  soon  show  you  the  pair  of 
heels  she's  got.  We'll  run  away  from  you  like  greased 
lightning,  I  guess." 

"  She  looks  like  a  fine  vessel,  sir,"  said  Captain  Coll- 
yer,  too  polite  to  turn  away,  as  some  men  I  have  known 
might  have  done. 

"  She  is  sir,"  said  the  American  master  with  emphasis. 
"  I  calculate  she'd  sail  twice  round  the  world  while  you 
was  going  once  ;  but  don't  rile,  now,  at  what  I  say,  — 
you  can't  help  it,  you  know.  Come,  take  a  cigar,  — 
they're  real  Havana." 

"•  Thank  you,  sir,  I  do  not  smoke,"  said  our  captain 
with  naturally  increasing  stiffness,  "  nor  is  it  customary, 
I  must  observe,  for  any  one  to  do  so  on  the  quarter- 
deck of  one  of  his  Britannic  Majesty's  ships." 

"  Ah !  that's  the  difference  between  slavery  and 
freedom,"  answered  the  stranger,  with  most  amusing 
effrontery,  lighting  another  cigar  as  he  spoke.  "  You 
serve  the  tyrant  King  George.  I  serve  myself,  and  no 
one  else,  and  I  like  my  master  best  of  the  two ;  but  I 
pity  you,  —  you  can't  help  it." 


106         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

Some  of  the  officers  were  very  indignant  at  the  im- 
pudence of  the  Yankee  captain ;  others  were  highly 
amused,  and  I  believe  Captain  CoUyer  was,  for  he  turned 
away  at  last  to  hide  his  laughter.  Nothing,  however, 
seemed  to  abash  the  skipper. 

"Well,  you  Britishers  will  be  inclined  to  deal,  I 
guess,"  he  observed ;  and,  without  waiting  for  an  an- 
swer, ordered  the  people  in  his  boat  to  send  up  some 
cases  of  claret  and  boxes  of  oranges  which  he  had 
brought.  A  whip  was  sent  down,  and  they  were  soon 
had  on  deck,  and  I  must  say  we  were  not  sorry  to  make 
a  deal  with  him  —  that  is  to  say,  the  captain  and  gun- 
room officers  took  the  claret,  and  the  midshipmen  the 
oranges. 

"  "Well,  I  guess  you've  got  them  dirt  cheap,"  observed 
the  Yankee  skipper,  as  he  pocketed  the  money.  "  But 
mind  now  I  don't  warrant  them  all  sound." 

Had  he  made  the  remark  before  we  bought  them,  we 
might  have  thanked  him  for  his  honesty.  On  opening 
the  cases  we  found  that  more  than  one  half  were  rotten, 
and  that  the  rest  would  not  keep  many  days.  That,  of 
course,  was  the  reason  he  had  sold  them. 

He  finished  his  cigar  while  he  went  on  talking  much 
in  the  same  strain  as  he  had  done  at  first,  and  then 
coolly  proposed  inspecting  the  ship.  As  there  was  no 
objection  to  his  so  doing,  he  was  allowed  to  go  round 
the  decks,  when  he  might  have  counted  thirty-six  guns, 
and  as  fine  a  looking  crew  as  ever  stepped  the  deck  of 
a  man-of-war.  At  length  Captain  Nathan  Noakes  re- 
turned on  board  the  Hickory  Stick.  Afterwards,  when 
I  repeated  to  the  boatswain  the  remarks  of  Captain 
Noakes,  his  observation  was, — 


MAKMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  107 

"  I  cannot  stand  those  Yankees  —  they  do  exaggerate 
so  terribly.    One  cannot  depend  on  a  word  they  say." 

I  made  no  reply,  for  it  struck  me  that  Mr.  Johnson 
himself  did  at  times,  as  he  would  have  said,  rather  over- 
state facts.     I  made  the  remark  to  Perigal. 

"  Well,  boy,  the  boatswain  is  like  most  of  us,"  he  an- 
swered ;  "  we  don't  see  our  own  faults.  I  suspect  no 
man  would  be  more  ready  than  he  would  to  grow  angry 
should  his  veracity  be  called  in  question." 

"  But  those  stories  of  his  own  adventures  are  very 
amusing,"  said  I. 

"  Very,"  said  Perigal.  "  And  as  long  as  he  confines 
himself  to  them  no  great  harm  is  done  ;  but  if  a  man 
once  gets  into  the  habit  of  departing  from  the  truth  for 
the  sake  of  amusing  his  hearers,  he  may  not  stop  there, 
and  will,  very  likely,  tell  a  falsehood  of  a  different  char- 
acter whenever  it  may  suit  his  convenience  to  do  so." 

The  sun  when  setting  indicated  fine  weather.  During 
the  night  there  was  a  light  breeze,  scarcely  sufficient  to 
send  our  heavy  frigate  through  the  water.  When  day 
dawned,  however,  our  Yankee  friend,  we  discovered, 
had  managed  to  slip  away,  and  was  hull  down  to  the 
southwest. 

In  the  same  direction  another  ship  was  seen,  with 
AV'hich  it  was  considered  probable  that  the  Yankee  had 
communicated.  The  stranger  looked  suspicious  —  a 
heavy  ship  —  and  certainly  a  man-of-war.  All  hands, 
in  consequence,  set  to  work  to  whistle  for  a  breeze,  and 
to  our  infinite  satisfaction  it  came  very  soon,  confinning 
most  on  b(<aid  in  their  belief  as  to  the  eflBcacy  of  the 
operation.      Sail  was  then  made,  and  we  steered  for  the 


108         MAKMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

stranger.  She  was  soon  pronounced  to  be  a  powerful 
frigate,  a  worthy  match  for  the  Doris,  and  so  with  light 
hearts  we  cleared  for  action,  not  doubting  that  we  should 
take  her,  whatever  her  size  or  the  number  of  her  guns. 
Our  only  fear  was  that  she  might  run  away.  To  pre- 
vent this,  our  captain,  who  was  up  to  all  sorts  of  tricks 
to  deceive  an  enemy,  had  arranged  a  mode  of  disguising 
the  ship.  By  means  of  some  black  painted  canvas  let 
down  over  the  main  deck  ports,  she  was  made  to  look 
like  a  corvette,  or  flush-decked  vessel.  Captain  CoUyer, 
we  heard,  had  before  taken  in  and  taken  several  vessels 
in  this  way,  and  we  hoped  now  to  be  as  fortunate. 

At  an  earlier  hour  than  usual  we  piped  to  breakfast, 
that  we  might  not  fight  on  empty  stomachs,  and  I  may 
safely  say  that  the  prospect  of  a  fierce  contest  damped 
no  one's  appetite.  For  my  own  part  I  never  made  a 
better  meal  in  my  life.  I  hurried,  however,  very  soou 
again  on  deck,  spy-glass  in  hand.  Looking  through  it, 
there  was  no  longer  any  doubt  as  to  tlie  character  of  the 
stranger.  There  she  hiy,  standing  under  easy  sail,  and 
evidently  waiting  our  a[)proach.  Just  as  I  got  on  deck 
she  fired  a  gun  to  windward,  and  the  Frencli  ensign  flew 
out  from  her  peak. 

As  we  drew  nearer  we  could  count  twenty-two  ports 
on  a  side.  She  thus  carried  many  more  guns  than  we 
did,  and  had  probably  a  much  larger  crew.  These  odds 
were  higldy  satisfactory.  We  had  no  fear  about  the 
issue  of  the  combat ;  our  only  dread  was  that  she  might 
escape  us.  Our  captain  determined  to  do  his  best  to 
prevent  this.  He  was  not  a  man  given  to  make  long 
speeches,  but  as  soon  as  every  thing  was  ready  for  battle 
he  called  the  men  on  deck. 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  109 

"  My  lads,"  he  said,  "  there's  a  ship  somewhat  bigger 
than  we  are,  and  may-be  there  are  more  men  on  board ; 
but  they're  only  Frenchmen.  You  can  take  her  if  you 
try,  and  I  know  you  will.  I  intend  to  engage  her  to 
leeward,  that  she  may  not  escape  us.  You'll  do  your 
duty  like  British  seamen,  and  that's  all  I  want  of  you." 

This  pithy  speech  was  received  with  three  hearty 
cheers,  a  good  prognostic  of  victory. 

The  determination  of  the  captain  to  engage  a  more 
powerful  antagonist  to  leeward  was  very  brave,  for  it 
was  the  least  advantageous  position  for  fighting.  The 
reason  .of  the  Frenchman's  boldness  in  waiting  for  us 
"was  clearly  that  he  supposed  the  Doris  to  be  much 
smaller  than  she  really  was.  But  then  how  was  it 
that  the  Yankee  skipper  should  not  have  told  him  the 
truth  ?  They  had  certainly  communicated.  We  had 
only  just  before  seen  his  royals  dipping  beneath  the 
horizon.  However,  we  hadn't  time  to  think  of  that  or 
any  thing  else,  before  a  shot  from  the  enemy  came 
whistling  through  our  sails.  Several  followed  in  rapid 
succession.  We  were  keeping  away  so  as  to  cross  her 
stern,  and  rake  her  with  a  broadside,  and  then  to  haul 
up  again  on  her  beam.  To  avoid  this  she  also  kept 
way,  and  began  to  pepper  us  rather  more  than  was 
pleasant.  Her  captain  had  clearly  determined  that  we 
should  not  get  to  leeward. 

"  She  must  have  it  as  she  wishes,"  cried  Captain 
Collyer.     "  Give  it  her,  my  lads." 

At  that  moment  the  canvas  which  which  had  con- 
cealed our  main  deck  guns  was  triced  up,  and  in  right 
good  earnest  we  poured  our  whole  broadside  into  our 
10 


110         MARMADUKE   MERRT,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

opponent.  The  unexpected  salute  must  have  staggered 
her,  and  now  she  too  hauled  up,  and,  discovering  that 
she  had  not  got  a  baby  to  play  with,  applied  herself  in 
earnest  to  the  combat,  and  we  ran  on  blazing  away  at 
each  other  nearly  yard-arm  to  yard-arm. 

"  This  is  what  I  like,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Johnson,  rub- 
bing his  hands.  "  This  is  a  good  honest  stand-up  tight ; 
we  know  what  the  enemy's  about,  and  he  knows  what 
we  are  about,  and  I  shall  be  very  much  surprised  if  he 
does  not  find  out  before  long  that  we  are  giving  him  a 
tremendous  good  licking." 

I  would  not  quite  agree  with  the  boatswain,  for  the 
enemy's  shot  was  crashing  about  us  with  terrific  effect. 
Tlie  French  frigate  also  sailed  much  faster  than  we  did, 
and  soon  shot  ahead  of  us  ;  and  still  further  to  prevent 
us  from  attaining  our  object,  she  wore  round  and  came 
to  on  the  other  tack,  giving  us  a  fresh  broadside  as  she 
did  so.  The  manoeuvre  succeeded  so  well,  that  it  was 
repeated  again  and  again.  This  enraged  our  crew, 
several  of  whom  were  struck  down  ;  the  wounded  were 
at  once  carried  below,  the  dead  were  drawn  out  of  the 
way ;  they  were  not  yet  numerous  enough  to  throw 
overboard.  I  looked  to  see  how  my  particular  friends 
were  getting  on.  George  Gray  had  a  division  of  guns 
under  him,  and  was  behaving  like  the  young  hero  he 
was.  Toby  Bluff  was  busily  employed  in  bringing  up 
powder,  and  looking  as  totally  unconcerned  about  every 
thing  else,  as  if  his  was  the  most  important  work  to  be 
done.  Having  brought  up  his  tub,  he  sat  himself  down 
on  it,  determined  that  not  a  spark  should  get  in  if  he 
could  help  it.     In  like  manner  the  captain  was  doing 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         Ill 

his  duty  to  the  best  of  his  power,  and  so  was  every 
officer  and  man  in  the  ship.  Mr.  Lukyn,  the  first 
heutenant,  had  cliosen  me  to  act  .as  his  aide-de-camp,  to 
carry  orders  that  he  might  have  to  send  to  any  part  of 
the  ship ;  in  that  way  I  was  kept  constantly  moving 
about,  and  it  appeared  to  me  that  I  escaped  many  shots 
wliich  miglit  otherwise  have  hit  me.  Once  a  shot 
knocked  some  hammocks  out  of  the  hammock  nettings, 
and  grazed  the  mainmast  just  as  I  had  passed  it,  and 
another  took  off  the  head  of  the  boatswain's  mate,  just 
as  he  was  raising  his  hand  to  signify  that  he  under- 
stood an  order  I  had  given  him.  I  consequently  walked 
on  till  I  met  the  boatswain,  and  delivered  the  order  to 
him  that  he  might  see  it  executed. 

"This  will  never  do,  Lukyn,"  I  heard  the  captain 
say.  "  We  must  get  alongside  her  again."  The  sails 
were  accordingly  trimmed,  and  we  ran  right  down  on 
the  enemy,  pouring  into  her  as  we  did  a  fire  of  round 
shot,  grape,  and  musketry ;  but,  I  must  own,  getting  as 
much  in  return,  and  having  our  rigging  terribly  cut 
about.  The  French  ship  had  at  the  time  little  way  on 
her,  and  so  we  shot  ahead  ;  both  of  us,  after  exchanging 
a  couple  of  broadsides,  falling  off  before  the  wind.  We 
had  now  separated  considerably.  The  hands  were  sent 
aloft  to  knot  and  splice  the  rigging,  to  enable  us  to 
work  the  ship,  which  we  otherwise  could  not  do. 
While  we  were  thus  employed,  the  French  frigate 
hauled  up,  and,  passing  our  stern  diagonally,  raked  us, 
but  at  too  great  a  distance  to  do  us  much  damage. 
Every  officer  and  man  was  exerting  himself  to  renew 
the  fight,  when  once  more  the  French  ship  bore  up, 


112         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

and  showed  that  she  was  going  again  to  pass  under 
our  stern. 

"  Down  with  your  faces  on  the  deck  all  of  you,  my 
lads,"  shouted  the  captain,  the  order  being  repeated  by 
the  other  officers.  I  observed,  however,  that  both  he 
and  Mr.  Lukyn  stood  upright.  The  expected  shower 
came,  the  enemy  passing  within  pistol  shot.  I  looked 
up  anxiously  to  ascertain  if  either  of  my  superiors  was 
hurt.  There  they  stood  as  calm  as  before,  but  Mr. 
Lukyn's  hat  had  been  knocked  off,  and  two  bullets 
had  passed  through  the  sleeve  of  his  coat. 

"  That  was  a  narrow  shave,''  observed  the  captain  as 
Mr.  Lukyn  stooped  down  and  picked  up  his  hat.  Had 
the  men  been  standing  up,  great  numbers,  probably, 
would  have  been  killed  or  wounded.  The  enemy  after 
this  hauled  up  on  the  larboard  tack,  and  was  about  to 
pour  her  starboard  broadside  into  us,  when,  our  crew 
springing  to  their  feet,  our  sails  were  thrown  aback,  and 
the  French  frigate's  larboard  bow  came  directly  on  to 
our  starboard  quarter.  .As  she  did  so,  the  boatswain 
with  his  mates  sprang  aft,  and  in  a  moment  it  seemed 
that  the  enemy's  bowsprit,  or  rather  jib-boom,  was 
lashed  to  our  mizen-rigging,  in  spite  of  a  heavy  rattling 
fire  of  musketry,  kept  up  on  them  by  the  French  marines 
on  their  forecastle.  A  body  of  our  marines  came  aft 
to  reply  to  them,  and  numbers  were  dropping  on  both 
sides.  Wliile  this  was  going  forward,  I  saw  a  French 
officer  walking  along  the  bowsprit  with  a  musket  in  his 
hand.  He  rested  it  on  the  stay,  and  was  taking  a 
deliberate  aim  at  Captain  Collyer,  who  stood,  not  observ- 
ing tliis,  encouraging  the  men  to  work  the  after  guns. 


,f    ^r^       ■    liii-if-Ll  -s 


'  Thank  \oii,  Mr.  Merry,  you  havo  saved  my  life,"  he  saiil,  turning  a  look  of 
.■i|i|irciv;il  on   ni<'. 


MARMADUKE   MERRT,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         113 

At  that  instant  a  marine  who  had  just  loaded  his  musket 
was  shot  dead.  I  seized  it  as  he  fell,  and  in  the  impulse 
of  the  moment,  dropping  on  my  knee,  raised  it  to  my 
shoulder  and  fired  at  the  Frenchman  on  the  bowsprit 
who  at  the  same  time  fired.  A  ball  passed  through  the 
captain's  hat  —  he  turned  his  head  and  observed  that 
I  had  just  fired,  and  saw  also  the  Frenchman  falling 
headlong  into  the  water. 

"  Thank  you,  Mr.  Merry,  you  have  saved  my  life," 
he  said,  turning  a  look  of  approval  on  me  ;  but  there 
was  no  time  for  more.  Every  thing  I  have  described 
passed  like  a  flash  of  lightning.  All  was  now  smoke 
and  noise,  the  men  straining  at  the  gun  tackles,  spong- 
ing and  loading ;  the  marines  firing  and  stooping  down, 
as  they  had  been  ordered,  to  load,  to  avoid  the  bullets 
of  the  French  marines  who  were  so  much  above  them. 
Meantime  the  Frenchmen  had  been  mustering  on  deck, 
and  suddenly  appearing  on  their  forecastle,  they  rushed 
along  the  bowsprit  and  were  leaping  down  on  our 
hammock  nettings,  the  headmost  reaching  the  deck. 

"  Boarders  repel  boarders  !  "  shouted  Mr.  Bryan  ; 
and  he  with  one  or  two  mates,  followed  by  Jonathan 
Johnson,  with  his  doughty  cutlass,  hurried  aft  to  meet 
them.  What  had  become  of  the  captain  and  Mr.  Lukyn 
I  could  not  tell.  Fierce  was  the  encounter,  for  the 
French  seamen  fought  desperately,  and  their  marines 
kept  blazing  away  faster  than  ever.  Mr.  Bryan  and 
the  French  officer  leading  the  boarders  met,  —  their 
blades  flashed  rapidly  for  a  few  seconds,  and  the  French- 
man fell  mortally  wounded.  Mr.  Johnson  was  in  his 
glory  :  the  first  time  he  led  on  his  followers,  however, 
10* 


114         MARMADUKE    MKUltY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

the  Frenchmen  withstood  him  for  some  seconds,  and 
more  of  them  pouring  down  on  the  deck,  he  was  driven 
back  a  foot  or  two,  but  it  was  only  for  a  moment.  With 
a  loud  shout,  he  made  a  furious  dash  at  the  boarders : 
Mr.  Bryan,  with  several  mates  and  midshipmen,  of 
whom  I  was  one,  seconded  by  our  gallant  purser,  who 
with  a  brace  of  pistols  in  his  belt  and  a  sharp  cutlass  in 
his  hand,  instead  of  remaining  below,  had  come  on  deck 
to  share  the  danger  and  aid  in  the  fight ;  and  of  the 
whole  number  of  the  enemy  who  had  reached  the  deck 
of  the  Doris,  not  one  quarter  escaped  on  board  their 
own  ship  unwounded,  and  very  neai'ly  half  were  killed 
outright,  or  were  taken  prisoners.  We,  however,  did 
not  get  off  scathless.  The  enemy  still  continued  to 
annoy  us  with  their  foremost  guns  ;  while  the  shot  from 
their  muskets  rattled  thickly  round  our  heads,  our  main 
royal-mast  and  main-topsail  yard  had  been  shot  away, 
and  the  gaff  was  so  severely  wounded,  that  when  the 
Frenchman  fell  aboard  us,  it  dropped  over  his  deck. 
At  this  moment  we  saw  some  of  the  crew  tear  our 
ensign  from  the  gaff  and  carry  it  aft  as  a  trophy  :  there 
was  not  a  man  in  our  ship  who  would  not  have  gladly 
rushed  aboard  the  enemy  to  recover  it. 

"  It  will  never  do  to  be  without  a  ffag,"  said  I  to 
Gray.  "  I  propose  we  go  aloft  and  nail  a  couple  to  the 
mast." 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  he  answered ;  and  he  getting  a 
boat's  ensign  and  I  a  union-jack  from  the  signal  locker, 
we  ran  aloft  with  them  before  any  one  saw  what  we 
were  about.  We  agreed,  however,  that  they  would  look 
best  at   each  end  of  the  cross-jack,  and  accordingly, 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  115 

quick  as  lightning,  we  lashed  them  there.  The  French- 
men might  certainly  have  picked  us  off,  but  as  many  of 
their  nation  have  much  chivalry  in  their  composition, 
when  they  saw  that  we  were  young  midshipmen,  and 
what  we  were  about,  I  suspect,  refrained  from  firing.  At 
all  events,  we  accomplished  our  dangerous  exploit,  and 
returned  on  deck.  Scarcely  had  we  reached  it,  and 
stood  amid  the  shower  of  bullets  whistling  along  it,  than 
to  my  great  sorrow,  I  saw  Gray  fall ;  he  uttered  no 
cry  ;  I  ran  toward  him  to  lift  him  up ;  he  said  that  he 
was  not  badly  hurt,  but  he  fainted,  and  Mr.  Bryan 
ordered  him  at  once  to  be  carried  below.  Directly 
afterwards  Mr.  Bryan  fell ;  he,  however,  raised  himself 
on  his  arm,  and  with  the  help  of  two  seamen,  in  a  short 
time  stood  up,  and  refused  to  leave  the  deck.  Mi*. 
Collman,  our  brave  purser,  tried  to  persuade  him  to  go 
below. 

''  Let  the  surgeon  look  to  you,  and  if  he  thinks  you 
are  fit  you  can  return." 

"  No,  no ;  thank  you,  Collman,"  he  answered.  "  I 
don't  know  what  may  happen  while  I'm  away.  Time 
enough  to  go  to  the  doctor  when  we've  thrashed  the 
Frenchman." 

It  was  my  duty,  as  I  said,  to  stay  by  the  first  lieuten- 
ant. I  was  inquiring  for  him,  when  I  saw  a  number  of 
the  French  marines  peppering  away  at  the  after  ports 
in  the  captain's  cabin.  I  instantly  bethought  me  that  the 
captain  and  Mr.  Lukyn  must  be  there,  and  accordingly 
hurried  to  the  main  deck. 

Our  captain  had,  without  asking  leave  of  the  dock 
yard  authorities,  cut  two  ports  in  his  cabin  on  each  side 


116         MARMADUKE   MERRT,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

next  the  quarter,  in  readiness  for  the  very  contingency 
which  had  now  occurred.  Our  carpenter  had,  however, 
stupidly  forgotten  to  drive  in  ring  bohs  to  work  the  guns, 
while  the  gunner  had  not  prepared  tackles  of  sufficient 
length  to  haul  the  aftermost  gun  from  the  side  to  the 
new  ports. 

When  I  reached  the  cabin,  the  captain  and  first  and 
third  lieutenants,  and  the  gunner  and  carpenter,  and 
other  officers  and  men,  were  working  away  to  find 
means  to  train  aft  a  gun.  The  marines,  however,  sta- 
tioned along  the  larboard  gangway  of  the  enemy  had 
found  them  out,  and  as  I  reached  the  cabin  it  seemed 
as  if  a  hailstorm  was  playing  into  it,  and  the  bulkheads 
were  literally  riddled  wnth  bullets.  Several  men  lay 
dead  about  the  decks,  and  every  now  and  then  another 
sank  down  wounded,  while  many  were  laboring  away 
■with  the  blood  flowing  from  their  sides  or  limbs.  I 
ran  in  and  asked  Mr.  Lukyn  if  he  wanted  me. 

"  No,  no,  Merry  ;  go  out  of  this,  boy,"  he  answered 
kindly. 

At  that  lime  it  was  certainly  the  part  of  the  ship  suf- 
fering most.  As  I  was  going  out  I  passed  Mr.  Down- 
ton,  our  third  lieutenant.  He  was  reeving  a  rope 
through  a  block  to  form  a  tackle,  when  a  shot  struck  him 
in  the  head.  lie  fell  forward  in  the  way  of  the  gun. 
He  was  dragged  unceremoniously  out  of  it  by  the  legs, 
and  the  men  cheered  as  they  hauled  it  aft.  I  ran  to  help 
poor  Mr.  Downton.  I  lifted  him  up.  He  gave  a  look  so 
full  of  pain  and  woe  in  my  face  that  I  would  gladly  have 
shut  it  out,  and  then  with  a  deep  sigh  breathed  his  last.  I 
never  felt  so  sad  before.    He  was  a  good  kind  officer,  and 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  117 

I  liked  him  very  much.  I  now,  I  own,  began  to  think 
that  we  were  getting  the  worst  of  it,  and  should  have 
to  stiike  our  colors,  or  go  down  with  them  flying.  Just 
then  the  gun,  double-shotted,  was  run  out  aft,  and  fired 
right  into  the  enemy's  bows.  Our  men's  cheers  scarcely 
di'owned  the  shrieks  and  cries  which  followed  from  the 
French  ship.  Again  the  gun  was  loaded  and  fired  with 
the  same  terrific  effect.  The  French  marines  contin- 
ued blazing  away  at  the  people  in  the  cabin,  but  were 
at  length  driven  from  the  gangway  by  the  hot  fire  of  our 
jollies  and  small-armed  men.  The  latter  had  also  to  di- 
rect their  attention  to  a  carronade  which  the  enemy  had 
got  on  his  forecastle,  and  which  might  have  done  us  a 
vast  deal  of  mishief,  but  such  a  shower  of  musket  balls 
whistled  round  it  the  instant  a  Frenchman  got  near,  that 
none  would  venture  to  work  it. 

As  Mr.  Lukyn  had  ordered  me  out  of  the  cabin  when 
I  found  that  I  could  be  of  no  use  to  Mr.  Downton,  I 
went  on  deck  again.  The  bullets  were  whistling  along 
the  deck  as  thick  as  hailstone.  This  sort  of  work  would 
have  continued  probably  till  we  had  treated  each  other 
like  the  Kilkenny  cats,  or  till  the  French  ship  had  given 
in,  when  her  jib-boom  gave  way,  and  she  forged  ahead. 
As  she  did  so,  our  next  aftermost  gun  was  manned  and 
fired,  cutting  away  her  head-rails,  and,  what  was  of 
greater  consequence,  the  gammoning  of  her  bowsprit. 

"  Hurrah,  lads !  the  day's  ours,"  shouted  .  Mr.  Coil- 
man  ;  "  over  to  the  starboard  guns." 

The  master  was  on  the  main-deck  with  the  captain. 

"  Now  the  battle's  going  to  begin  in  earnest,  Mr. 
Merry,"  observed  the  boatswain,  near  whom  I  found 
myself. 


118         MARMADUKE   MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

Thought  I  to  myself,  "  It  has  been  going  on  in  pretty 
serious  earnest  for  the  last  two  hours  or  more." 

Now  both  frigates,  running  on  yard-arm  to  yard-arm, 
fired  their  guns  in  succession  as  they  could  be  brought 
to  bear ;  but  our  people,  from  constant  practice,  tossed 
our  guns  in  and  out  twice  as  rapidly  as  the  Frenchmen. 
This  soon  told ;  the  enemy's  main-topmast  was  shot 
away,  the  foremast  was  badly  wounded,  several  of  her 
ports  were  knocked  into  one,  and  instead  of  the  cloud 
of  canvas  which  lately  swelled  proudly  to  the  breeze, 
her  sails  were  riddled,  and,  with  rope  ends,  hung  useless 
from  every  shattered  yard.  In  some  respects  we  were 
not  much  better  off,  and  our  rigging  was  so  cut  about, 
that  the  ship  was  no  longer  manageable.  Taking  ad- 
vantage of  her  greater  speed,  our  antagonist  drew  ahead 
till  she  got  out  of  gunshot,  greatly  to  the  rage  and  an- 
noyance of  the  crew,  who  bestowed  on  her  three  loud 
groans,  and  many  an  anathema  on  finding  that  she  had 
escaped  them. 

It  now  came  on  calm,  and  she  could  not  get  far  off. 
Not  a  moment,  however,  was  lost  before  all  hands  were 
set  to  work  to  repair  damages ;  never  was  rigging  more 
rapidly  knotted  and  spliced.  My  eye  was  seldom  off 
our  enemy.  A  slight  breeze  had  again  sprung  up,  when 
suddenly  I  saw  her  foremast  rock,  it  seemed,  and  over 
it  went  with  a  crash,  carrying  a  number  of  her  crew  on 
it  into  tiie  water.  A  loud  cheer  burst  from  our  men,  as 
they  saw  what  had  occurred,  and  they  redoubled  their 
efforts  to  get  the  Doris  ready  to  renew  (lie  action.  By 
noon  we  had  knotted  and  spliced  all  the  standing  rig- 
ging, rove  new  braces,  and   had  got  the  ship  under  per- 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         119 

feet  command,  while  the  freshening  breeze  carried  ug 
rapidly  up  toward  our  opponent. 

The  heat  of  the  sun  and  our  exertions  made  us  feel 
very  hot,  and  now  the  Yankee's  oranges  came  into  requi- 
sition. Both  midshipmen  and  men  might  be  seen  suck- 
ing them  heartily,  as  we  once  more  stood  into  action. 
The  enemy  seemed  still  disposed  to  defend  himself  as 
we  stood  across  his  stern,  so  that  he  could  bring  no 
guns  to  bear  on  us.  He,  however,  trusting  to  the  effect 
his  large  body  of  marines  might  produce,  fired  a  rat- 
tling volley  as  we  were  about  to  pour  in  our  broadside* 
Spellman  and  I  were  at  the  moment  standing  near  the 
boatswain.  As  the  French  marines  fired,  I  felt  a  sharp 
burning  pang  in  my  shoulder,  which  made  me  jump  on 
one  side,  while  I  saw  Spellman's  orange  flying  away, 
and  putting  up  both  his  hands  as  he  cried  out,  "  Oh,  my 
orange !  my  orange  !  and  they  have  riddled  my  cheeks, 
the  blackguards." 

I  could  not  help  laughing  at  his  exclamation  and  face 
of  astonishment,  in  spite  of  the  sickness  which  was 
creeping  over  me. 

"  It's  lucky  it  was  not  through  your  head,  Mr.  Spell- 
man,"  observed  the  boatswain,  picking  up  the  orange 
and  handing  it  to  him,  but  he  was  in  no  way  incHned  to 
suck  it,  for  his  mouth  was  full  of  blood,  which  he  began 
vehemently  spluttering  out  over  the  deck. 

Now  our  frigate  sent  forth  a  roaring  broadside ;  the 
enemy's  ship  was  for  an  instant  shrouded  in  smoke.  As 
it  cleared  away,  down  came  the  French  ensign,  and  an 
officer  was  seen  to  spring  on  to  the  taffrail,  and  with  the 
politest  of  bows,  signified  that  they  had  struck.     Loud 


120  MARMADUKE    MKRRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

hearty  cheers  was  the  answer  returned  by  our  brave 
fellows,  who  by  sheer  hard  fighting  and  rapid  working 
of  their  guns,  had  achieved,  in  little  more  than  three 
hours,  a  victory  over  a  foe  so  vastly  superior.  Those 
cheers,  though  pleasant  sounds  to  our  ears,  must  have 
been  very  much  the  contrary  to  our  enemies. 

Then,  and  not  till  then,  did  Mr.  Bryan  consent  to  be 
carried  below.  I  have  no  personal  knowledge  of  what 
happened  after  this,  for  even  before  the  cheering  had 
ceased,  I  should  have  sunk  fainting  on  the  deck,  had 
not  the  boatswain  caught  me.  When  I  came  to  myself, 
I  was  undressed  in  my  hammock,  and,  except  a  pain 
and  stiffness  in  my  shoulder,  there  was  nothing,  I 
thought,  very  much  the  matter  with  me,  though  when  I 
tried  to  rise  I  found  that  to  do  so  was  out  of  the  ques- 
tion. Spellman  and  Gray  were  in  their  hammocks, 
close  to  me.  Though  Spellman  was  least  seriously 
hurt  of  either  of  us,  his  appearance,  from  having  his 
head  bound  up  with  two  huge  plasters  over  his  cheeks 
■was  by  far  the  most  lugubrious,  as  he  sat  up  and  looked 
first  at  Gray,  and  then  at  me,  and  said,  "  Well,  I  hope 
you  like  it." 

"  Thank  you,  Miss  Susan,"  said  I.  "  We  might  be 
worse  off,  but  we  shan't  have  to  go  whistling  through 
the  world  in  future  as  you  will,  and  if  ever  you  fall  in- 
to the  hands  of  savages  they'll  put  a  rope  through  your 
cheeks  and  drag  you  along  like  a  tame  bear." 

"  You  don't  think  so,  Merry,  I'm  sure,"  he  answered, 
in  a  tone  of  alarm,  which  showed  that  he  vividly  pic- 
tured the  possibility  of  such  an  occurrence ;  "  do  you, 
Gray?" 


MAEMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  121 

Poor  Gray  was  too  weak  to  say  much,  but  lie  gave 
Spellman  very  little  encouragement  to  hope  for  the 
best,  and  when  Macquoid  visited  us,  entering  into  the 
joke,  he  said  nothing  to  remove  his  apprehensions. 

My  chief  anxiety  was  now  about  Toby  BluiF,  and  I 
was  very  glad  to  find  that  he  had  not  been  hurt.  At 
last,  when  he  came  to  me,  I  had  some  difficulty  in  quiet- 
ing his  apprehensions,  and  in  persuading  him  that  it 
was  a  very  fine  thing  to  be  wounded,  and  that  I  should 
have  lots  of  honor  and  glory,  and  be  made  more  of 
when  I  got  home  than  I  had  ever  been  before  in  my 
life,  and  that  he  would  share  in  it  without  having  had 
the  disagreeable  ceremony  to  go  through  of  being 
wounded. 

^'  As  to  the  glory,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing,  I'd  as 
lief  have  let  it  alone,  if  it  was  to  cost  a  bullet  through 
me.  Muster  Merry,"  he  answered.  "  But  I'd  have  been 
main  glad  if  the  mounseers  had  just  shot  me  instead  of 
you.     It  wouldn't  have  done  me  no  harm  to  matter." 

"  He  is  a  faithful  fellow,  certainly,"  I  thought,  "  but 
he  has  no  chivalry  in  his  composition." 

From  the  jabbering  we  heard  around  us,  we  found 
that  the  French  prisoners  had  been  brought  on  board, 
and  Macquoid  told  us  that  every  man  who  could  be 
spared  was  employed  in  repairing  the  prize.  Mr.  Lukyn 
had  gone  to  take  command  of  her,  with  Perigal  as  hia 
second  in  command,  and  I  was  very  glad  to  find  that 
the  old  mate  was  unhurt. 

Our  prize  was  the  Aigle.  She  carried  six  guns  more 
than  we  had,  and  they  were  of  heavier  calibre.  She 
was  nearly  three  hundred  tons  larger,  and  her  crew 
11 


122  MAR-MAOriCE    ilERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

numbered  a  hundred  men  more  than  we  had.  We  had 
beaten  her  because  our  men  were  better  gunners,  and 
had  lired  half  as  rapidly  again  as  had  her  crew.  We 
had  lost  fourteen  killed  and  thirty  wounded,  and  she 
thirty-four  killed  and  sixty  wounded. 

"  Ah !  young  gentlemen,"  said  Mr.  Johnson,  who  in 
the  intervals  of  his  labor  paid  us  a  visit,  "it  was  as 
pretty  a  stand-up  fight  and  as  well  w^on  a  battle  as  I 
ever  heard  of,  or  you'll  ever  see  probably." 

At  length  both  frigates  were  refitted,  and,  as  we  un- 
derstood, steering  a  course  for  old  England.  We  three 
midshipmen  found  it  rather  dull  work  staying  in  our 
hammocks  all  day,  as  it  was  too  dark  to  read,  though 
we  managed  to  sleep,  as  only  midshipmen  can  sleep, 
and  we  agreed  that  we  would  get  the  boatswain,  when 
he  had  leisure,  to  come  and  sit  by  us  to  go  on  with  his 
history.  We  succeeded,  and,  seated  on  a  bucket,  he 
began  : 

"  Well,  young  gentlemen,  flesh  and  blood  wants  some 
rest,  though  I  can  do  more  than  most  men  in  the  way 
of  work,  and  instead  of  taking  a  doze  in  my  cabin  I'll  in- 
dulge you,  and  the  service  shall  not  suffer.  Ah,  ah ! 
let  me  see,  —  I  was  telling  you  of  my  childhood.  I 
very  soon  grew  up.  I  didn't  take  long  to  do  that.  By 
the  time  I  was  fifteen  I  knew  a  thing  or  two,  and  there 
■wasn't  a  seaman  aboard  my  father's  ship  who  could  beat 
me  at  any  thing." 

"  At  pulling  the  long  bow  especially,"  said  a  deep 
voice  from  one  of  the  hammocks. 

"  Who  spoke  ?  "  inquired  Mr.  Johnson,  turning  round 
Bharply.     "  I'll  tell  you  what,  whoever  you  are,  a  man 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         123 

may  shoot  with  a  long  bow,  or  a  man  may  shoot  with  a 
shoi-t  bow  ;  but  tor  my  part  I  say  a  man  has  a  right  to 
use  the  weapon  which  suits  him  best ;  and  so,  Mr.  Bow- 
wo-wo,  just  bowse  taut  that  jaw-tackle  of  yours,  and 
don't  let's  hear  any  more  of  your  pertinent  i-emarks,  I'll 
thank  ye,  my  bo."  Mr.  Johnson  then  continued,  —  "  At 
last,  said  my  father  one  day  to  me,  — '  Jonathan,  you 
are  big  enough  and  strong  enough  to  go  without  leading 
strings,  and  the  sooner  a  lad  does  that  the  better.' 

" '  Yes,  father,  I  am,'  said  I,  and  I  was,  for  I  was  six 
feet  two  inches  high,  and  could  knock  over  an  ox  with 
my  fist,  as  I'd  done  many  a  time  to  save  the  butcher 
trouble. 

'' '  You  must  look  out  for  a  ship,  my  son,'  said  my 
father. 

"  '  I  will,  said  I,  and  I  did.  I  shipped  on  board  a 
Greenland  whaler,  the  Blazyhght,  and  sailed  the  next 
day  for  the  North  Pole.  We  had  a  fine  run  to  our 
fishing-ground,  and  soon  began  to  kill  our  whales  at  a 
great  rate.  It  was  the  sort  of  sport  which  just  suited 
me.  I  never  could  stand  angling  for  minnows  ;  but 
whale-fishing  is  a  very  different  sort  of  work,  I  guess. 

'•  We  had  got  a  full  ship,  and  were  thinking  of  turn- 
ing south,  when  we  were  becalmed  near  the  land,  and 
as  the  ship  could  not  move,  I,  with  four  or  five  more, 
started  on  an  expedition  to  shoot  polar  bears,  which 
were  pretty  common  thereabouts.  We  had  got  a  good 
way  from  the  ship,  when  a  thick  fog  —  not  an  unfre- 
quent  visitor  to  those  parts  —  came  on.  I  had  a  pocket- 
compass  with  me,  and  so  I  wasn't  a  bit  alarmed.  How- 
ever, when  we  tried  to  find  the  old  Blazylight  again,  I 


124         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

must  confess  we  could  not.  "We  wandered  about  till  all 
my  companions  died  from  sheer  fright  and  fatigue  ;  and 
I  should  have  died,  too,  if  I  had  given  in  ;  but  I  wouldn't 
do  that ;  so  I  collected  all  my  shipmates'  ammunition, 
and  set  to  work  to  kill  and  pot  bears.  I  lived  like  a 
prince,  as  far  as  quantity  was  concerned,  but  I  got 
rather  tired  of  bear's  flesh  at  last.  I  rubbed  myself 
over  with  the  grease,  and  was  soon  covered  from  head 
to  foot  with  a  hide  of  the  finest  wool,  so  that  I  didn't 
feel  the  cold  a  bit.  It  was  cold,  however,  at  times, 
with  a  vengeance.  Frequently  the  i'rost  was  so  severe, 
that  it  froze  up  even  the  very  air,  and  if  I  had  not 
melted  it  every  now  and  then,  by  firing  off  my  gun,  I 
should  have  died  for  want  of  breath  ;  and  often  it  wasn't 
possible  to  move  without  cutting  a  way  for  myself 
through  the  atmosphere  with  my  axe.  I  suspected,  as 
I  afterwards  found  to  be  the  case,  that  what  we  had 
taken  to  be  land,  was  in  reality  an  unusually  large  field 
of  ice,  with  icebergs  imbedded  in  it,  and  that  we  had 
been  carried  by  same  unknown  current  imperceptibly 
toward  the  north  for  a  considerable  distance.  Now, 
when  we  had  left  the  ship,  we  had  kept  to  the  west- 
ward. When  we  wished  to  return,  we  had  steered  east 
by  the  pocket-compass  I  told  you  of.  On,  and  on,  and 
on,  I  kept  on  the  same  course.  What  do  you  think  I 
was  doing  ?  Why  I  was  walking  round  and  round  the 
north  pole,  and  should  have  kept  on  walking  till  now, 
for  nothing  would  have  made  me  give  in  —  I  promise 
you  that  wasn't  my  way  —  had  I  not  come  upon  the 
print  of  my  own  footsteps  in  the  snow.  This  made  me 
aware  of  my  error ;  so  I  sat  down  to  consider  how  it 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         125 

could  have  happened,  and  at  last  the  truth  flashed  on 
my  mind.  You  see  it  was  a  very  natural  mistake  I  had 
made,  for  the  needle  of  my  compass  was  all  the  time 
pointing  to  the  north  pole,  just  as  a  capstan-bar  does  to 
the  capstan,  while  I  was  running  round  at  the  other  end 
of  it.  I  was  rather  puzzled  to  know  what  to  do,  for 
had  I  walked  south,  not  having  the  means  of  ascertain- 
ing my  longitude,  I  might,  I  thought,  find  myself  on  the 
other  side  of  the  globe,  somewhere,  perhaps,  near 
Behring's  Straits,  leading  into  the  Sea  of  Kamtschatka, 
where  there  would  be  little  chance  of  my  falhng  in  with 
a  ship. 

"  I  had  sat  cogitating  for  some  time,  and  was  begin- 
ning to  get  rather  chilly,  when  it  occurred  to  me  that  I 
might  render  a  great  service  to  science  by  going  chock 
up  to  the  north  pole,  and  ascertaining  of  what  it  is  com- 
posed. I  instantly  rose  from  my  seat,  put  my  compass 
down  to  strike  the  course  I  was  to  take,  fired  off  my  guu 
to  clear  myself  a  path  through  the  frozen  atmosphere, 
secured  my  stock  of  bear's  flesh  on  my  back  for  pro>i- 
sions,  and  manfully  set  forward,  with  my  face  away  from 
all  human  beings." 

"  But  how  could  you  see,  Mr.  Johnson  ?  "  asked  Gray. 
"  I  always  thought  it  was  dark  in  those  regions  durinj 
winter  ! " 

"  See  !  why  perfectly  well,"  answered  the  boatswain, 
promptly.  "  If  the  stars  and  moon  happened  not  to  be 
shining,  there  was  always  the  aurora  borealis  blazing  up, 
like  a  great  fire,  right  ahead  of  me.  You  have  seen  the 
northern  lights  on  a  winter's  night,  but  they  are  a  very 
different  affair  up  there  to  what  they  appear  so  far 


126         MARMADL'KE    MERRT,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

south.  If  it  wasn't  for  them,  in  my  opinion,  there  would 
be  no  living  in  those  regions ;  but  by  their  warmth  they 
keep  the  atmosphere  round  them  in  a  very  pleasant 
state.  Well,  on  1  walked,  sleeping  at  night  in  the  huts 
I  made  in  the  snow,  leaving  a  small  hole  open  to  breathe 
through ;  and  it  was  not  disagreeably  cold,  owing  to  the 
warm  whiffs  which  came  every  now  and  then  from  the 
pole. 

"  After  progressing  thus  for  several  days,  I  observed 
an  extraordinary  phenomenon.  Whenever  I  took  my 
compass  out  in  my  hand,  I  felt  that  the  instrument  had 
a  tendency  to  move  directly  before  me.  This  tendency 
increased  gradually  as  I  proceeded,  till,  one  morning, 
wlien  I  })ut  it  down  as  usual  to  mark  my  course  before 
starting,  to  my  infinite  surprise,  and  I  may  say  dismay, 
away  it  glided  over  the  snow,  increasing  in  rapidity  of 
motion  as  it  proceeded. 

''  Horrified  at  the  reflection  of  what  might  be  the 
consequence  should  I  lose  it,  I  rushed  forwai'd,  and,  in 
my  eagerness  to  grasp  my  treasure,  fell  prostrate  on  my 
face,  just,  happily,  as  my  fingers  clutched  it. 

"  This  wonderful  occurrence  (for  I  own  that  it  did 
surprise  even  me,  and  I  could  not  have  believed  it  had 
another  man  told  it  me)  brought  me  to  a  stand-still,  and 
compelled  me  to  form  a  new  plan  for  my  future  pro- 
ceedings. I  was  unwilling  to  give  up  the  enterprise, 
though  I  saw  the  full  risk  I  was  running  ;  but  dangers 
never  daunted  me,  —  I  should  think  not,  —  and  I  deter- 
mined at  every  hazard  to  proceed.  I  accordingly  re- 
traced my  steps  a  day's  journey,  when  I  found  the  at- 
tractive powers  of  the  pole   of  less  force  ;    and   then 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  127 

erecting  a  lofty  pyramid  of  snow,  I  placed  my  compass 
on  the  summit,  and  carefully  covered  it  over.  On  the 
top  of  all  I  fastened  a  red  pocket-handkerchief,  secured 
to  a  walking-stick,  in  order  to  make  the  object  still  more 
conspicuous.  Having  performed  this  work,  I  lay  down 
in  a  snow-hut  to  rest,  and  the  next  morning  again  set 
forward  toward  the  pole." 

The  boatswain  stopped  to  clear  his  throat. 

"  That  is  very  interesting,  Mr.  Johnson,"  said  Gray. 
"  Do  go  on." 

"  I'll  indulge  you,  young  gentlemen  —  I'll  indulge 
you  ;  and  as  I  look  upon  what  I'm  going  to  tell  you  as 
the  most  interesting  part  of  my  adventures,  no  one  must 
interrupt  me.  The  king  on  his  throne  musn't  and 
sha'n't  —  till  I  have  finished  my  authentic  and  veracious 
narrative." 

"  Mr.  Johnson  !  Mr.  Johnson  !  the  captain  wants  you 
—  sharp  !  "  shouted  Toby  Bluff  running  along  the  deck. 
Mr.  Johnson  gave  a  grunt,  and,  springing  from  his  seat, 
disappeared  up  the  hatchway. 


128         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN". 


CHAPTER    VI. 

I  HAD  a  good  constitution  which  had  not  been 
impaired  by  any  excess,  and  as  Mr,  Perigal  and  the 
other  oldsters  of  the  mess  kept  strictly  to  the  law  by 
which  they  had  awarded  to  themselves  two-thirds  of 
the  youngsters'  grog,  my  blood  was  not  inflamed  by 
having  imbibed  spirituous  liquors.  I,  therefore,  under 
Macquoid's  judicious  care,  very  rapidly  recovered  fronx 
the  effects  of  my  wound.  In  a  few  days  I  could  have 
got  up  and  run  about,  but  as  poor  Gray,  who  was  much 
more  hurt  than  I  had  been,  was  too  weak  to  leave  his 
hammock,  I  promised  to  remain  in  mine  to  keep  him 
company.  When  Macquoid  came  to  me,  therefore,  one 
day  and  told  me  that  I  might  dress  and  go  on  deck,  I 
replied  in  a  very  faint  voice,  that  I  had  not  strength  to 
move,  and  groaned  a  great  deal  when  he  moved  me  to 
dress  my  wound. 

"  Some  intei'nal  injury,  I  fear,"  he  observed,  "  I  must 
see  to  it." 

lie  then  turned  to  Spellman.  to  dress  his  cheeks.  He 
groaned  exactly  in  the  way  I  luul  done,  and  spoke  in 
tlie  same  faint  tone,  declaring  his  inability  to  rise. 

"  Ah,  poor  fellow,  some  internal  injury,  I  fear ;  I 
mast  see  to  it,"  remarked  the  assistant  surgeon  in  the 
same  tone,  as  he  left  us. 

Miss  Susan,  thinking  that  he  had  quitted  the  sick  bay, 
sat  up  in  his  hammock,  and  made  a  well-known  and 


MARMADUKE   MEBKT,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         129 

expressive  signal  to  me  with  his  thumb  to  his  nose, 
which  Macquoid,  who  happened  at  that  moment  to  turn 
his  head,  could  not  have  failed  to  observe. 

"  Miss  Susan,  you  donkey,  you  have  spoilt  all.  We 
are  found  out,"  1  exclaimed.  "  Macquoid  saw  your 
sign  to  me." 

Spellman  declared  that  did  not  signify  ;  that  he  would 
explain  how  it  happened  to  Macquoid,  and  assui'e  him 
that  the  gesture  was  one  which  he  frequently  made 
when  suffering  from  a  paroxysm  of  pain. 

I  told  him  that  he  had  better  say  nothing  of  the  sort, 
and  that  he  would  only  make  matters  worse,  but  he  per- 
sisted that  he  knew  better  than  I  did,  and  told  me  to 
hold  my  tongue.  Of  coul-se  it  was  very  wrong  to  sham 
to  be  worse  than  I  was,  but  I  persuaded  myself  that  it 
was  not  like  actual  malingering,  as  I  had  a  foundation 
for  my  assertion,  and  really  did  not  feel  as  if  I  could 
walk.  Still,  I  may  as  well  say  here,  that  though  I  have 
ever  been  through  life  merry  by  nature,  as  well  as  by 
name,  and  have  loved  joking  as  much  as  any  man,  I 
have  learned  to  hate  and  detest  falsehoods.  It  is  un- 
christian-like in  the  first  place,  and  thoroughly  low  and 
ungentlemanly  in  the  second.  I  say  this,  lest  in  conse- 
quence of  my  having  introduced  the  wonderful  adventures 
of  my  shipmate,  Mr.  Johnson,  it  may  be  considered  that 
I  think  lightly  of  the  importance  of  speaking  the  truth. 
To  do  Jonathan  justice  he  took  ample  cax-e  that  his 
yarns  should  never  for  a  moment  deceive  the  most 
simple-minded  or  credulous  of  his  hearers.  At  that 
time,  however,  I  did  not  see  things  as  clearly  as  I  did 
when  I  grew  older,  and  I  was  vexed  at  having  tried  to 


130         MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

deceive  Macquoid,  more  from  the  fear  of  being  found 
out  than  from  any  refined  sense  of  shame.  He,  how- 
ever, when  he  came  again  in  the  evening,  treated  us 
exactly  as  if  we  were  still  very  weak,  and  when  Spell- 
man  persisted  in  talking  of  the  odd  position  into  which 
his  hands  twisted  themselves  when  he  was  in  pain,  he 
seemed  to  take  it  all  in,  and  agreed  with  him,  that  such 
was  a  very  natural  and  common  occurrence.  I  had  my 
doubts,  however,  of  Macquoid's  sincerity,  and  having  had 
some  experience  of  his  mode  of  treatment  on  a  former 
occasion,  resolved  to  be  very  much  better  the  next  visit 
he  paid  us.  I  said  nothing  to  Spellman,  whose  spirits 
rose  immediately. 

"  I  told  you  so,"  he  exclaimed,  when  Macquoid  was 
gone.   "  I  told  you  I  should  humbug  Johnny  Sawbones." 

"  Now  if  we  could  but  get  the  boatswain  to  come  to 
us,  and  to  go  on  with  his  yarns,  we  should  be  all  right 
and  jolly,"  observed  Gray. 

I  agreed  with  him,  and  soon  afterwards  Toby  Bluff 
coming  to  see  me,  which  the  faitliful  fellow  did  as  often 
as  he  could  during  the  day,  I  sent  him  to  invite  Mr. 
Johnson  to  pay  us  a  visit,  as  he  would  have  more  leisure 
then  than  at  any  other  time  of  the  day.  Nothing  loth, 
the  boatswain  soon  made  his  appearance. 

"And  so,  young  gentlemen,  you  want  to  hear  more 
of  my  wonderful,  not  to  say  veracious,  narratives,"  he 
observed,  while  a  pleasant  smile  irradiated  his  features. 
"  Well,  I  hold  that  the  use  of  a  man's  legs  is  to  move 
about  the  world,  the  use  of  his  eyes  is  to  see  all  that  is 
to  be  seen,  as  he  does  move  about,  and  the  use  of  his 
tongue  to  describe  all  that  he  has  seen,  and  so  I'll  use 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  131 

mine  to  good  purpose,  and  indulge  you,  but,  as  I've  said 
before,  I  say  again,  I  will  have  no  one  doubt  my  word. 
If  there's  any  cavilling,  I'll  shut  up  as  close  as  an  oyster 
when  he's  had  his  dinner,  and,  having  made  this  pre- 
liminary observation,  here  goes.  Let  me  recollect,  where 
had  I  got  to  ?  "  Mr.  Johnson  said  this  while  taking  his 
usual  seat  on  a  bucket,  between  our  hammocks,  his  huge 
legs  stretched  out  along  the  deck,  and  his  big  head 
sticking  up,  so  that  his  eagle  eyes  could  glance  I'ound 
above  them. 

"  I  remember,  — I  was  taking  a  walk  up  to  the  North 
Pole.  I  did  not  think  that  I  could  be  many  days' 
journey  from  it.  Bat  that  did  not  matter.  The  air 
was  so  bracing  that  I  could  take  any  amount  of  exercise 
without  fatigue,  and  was  therefore  able  to  walk  all  day, 
sitting  down  merely  for  convenience'  sake  when  I  was 
enjoying  my  dinner  off  the  preserved  bear.  I  of 
course  could  not  cut  the  flesh  with  my  knife,  as  it  was 
frozen  as  hard  as  a  rock.  I  was  therefore  obliged  to 
chop  it  into  mouthfuls  with  my  hatchet,  and  even  when 
between  my  teeth  it  was  some  time  before  it  would 
thaw,  but  then  you  see,  as  I  had  nobody  to  talk  to,  I 
had  plenty  of  time  for  mastication,  and  it  was  undoubt- 
edly partly  to  this  circumstance  that  I  kept  my  health 
all  the  time.  There  is  nothing  so  bad  as  bolting  one's 
food,  except  going  without  it.  By  the  way,  I  have  had 
to  do  that  more  than  once  for  several  weeks  together. 
Once  for  a  wliole  month  I  had  nothing  to  eat  but  some 
round  shot  and  bullet  moulds,  and  an  old  jackass,  which 
was  washed  up  on  the  beach,  after  being  well  pickled 
by  the  salt  water,  but   that  has  nothing  to  do  with  my 


132         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

present  story.  I  wish  that  I  had  kept  a  diary  of  my 
proceedings,  during  my  northern  ramble.  It  would 
have  proved  highly  interesting  to  Sir  Joseph  Banks, 
and  other  scientific  people,  but,  as  it  happens,  I  have 
my  memory  alone  to  which  I  can  trust,  though  that, 
however,  never  deceives  me.  Well,  after  leaving  my 
flagstaflF  I  travelled  on,  neither  turning  to  the  right 
hand  nor  to  the  left,  and  it  is  wonderful  what  a  straight 
course  I  kept,  considering  the  dilliculty  there  is  in  find- 
ing one's  way  over  a  trackless  plain  without  a  compass. 
If  I  had  had  too  much  grog  aboard,  I  could  not  have 
done  it,  and  it's  a  strong  argument  in  favor  of  keeping 
sober  on  all  occasions,  but  more  especially  when  any 
work  is  to  be  done.  I  slept  at  night,  as  before,  in  a  iiole 
in  the  snow,  but  never  suffered  from  cold  ;  this  was  partly 
on  account  of  the  quantity  of  bears'  grease  I  swallowed, 
which  served  to  keep  the  lamp  of  life  alive,  and  also  be- 
cause every  mile  1  advanced  I  found  the  atmosphere 
growing  warmer  and  warmer,  and  the  Northern  Lights 
brighter  and  brighter.  Tliere  could  be  no  doubt  about 
it ;  those  lights  were  the  cause  of>the  unexpected  warmth 
I  encountered ;  so  warm,  indeed,  did  the  air  become, 
that  I  am  certain  many  a  man  would  have  turned  back 
for  fear  of  being  roasted  alive,  but  I  was  not  to  be 
daunted.  Onward  I  went  till  I  got  within  less  than  a 
mile  of  one  of  the  biggest  fires  I  ever  saw.  The  effect 
was  grand  and  beautiful  in  the  extreme.  You  might 
suppose  yourself  looking  at  a  city  fifty  times  as  large 
as  London,  and  every  house  in  it  as  big  as  St.  Paul's, 
and  every  part  of  it  blazing  away  at  the  same  time,  and 
even  then  you  would  have  no  conception  of  the  mag- 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         133 

nificence  of  the  scene  which  met  my  view,  as  I  beheld 
the  source  of  those  far-famed  Northern  Lights,  the 
Aurora  Borealis,  as  the  learned  people  call  them. 

"  The  flames,  you  must  know,  were  not  of  that  bright 
hot  color  which  issue  from  a  furnace,  but  were  of  a 
delicate  pale  red,  flickering  and  playing  about  in  the 
mo~:t  curious  way  imaginable,  sometimes  blazing  up  to 
the  height  of  a  mile  or  so,  and  then  sinking  down  to  a 
few  hundred  feet.  The  heat  at  the  distance  I  was  then 
from  it  was  rather  pleasant  than  oppressive  ;  it  had  not 
even  melted  the  snow  on  the  ground,  but  of  course  that 
was  so  hard  frozen,  that  it  would  have  required  a  very 
Avarm  fire  to  have  made  any  impression  on  it.  "Well, 
as  I  advanced  I  began  to  lick  my  chops  at  the  thoughts 
of  the  hot  dinner  I  intended  to  enjoy  —  for,  after  all, 
however  philosophical  a  man  may  be,  his  appetite,  if  he 
is  hungry,  must  be  satisfied  before  he  is  fit  for  any  thing 
—  when  I  beheld  a  number  of  moving  objects,  scarcely 
distinguishable  from  the  snow,  encircling  the  fire.  I 
could  not  make  out  at  first  what  they  were,  but  on  ap- 
proaching still  nearer,  I  discovered  the  truth,  though  I 
could  scarcely  believe  my  eyes,  for  there,  sitting  up  on 
their  hams,  were  countless  thousands  of  polar  bears, 
warming  their  paws  before  the  Aurora  Borealis.  It  is 
a  fact  as  true  as  any  thing  I  have  been  telling  you,  and 
at  once  fully  accounted  to  my  mind  for  the  disappearance 
of  bears  from  the  Arctic  regions  during  the  winter 
months,  and  fully  refutes  the  popular  idea,  that  they  sit 
moping  by  themselves  in  caverns,  employing  their  time 
in  sucking  their  paws. 

"  Not  liking  the  idea  of  losing  my  hot  dinner,  not  to 
12 


134         MARMADriCE    MERRY,    THE    MIPSIIIPMAN. 

speak  of  the  disappointment  of  not  being  able  to  say 
that  I  had  been  chock  up  to  the  North  Pole.  I  deter- 
mined to  venture  among  them." 

"  It  wouldn't  give  you  much  concern  to  say  you  had 
been  there,  at  all  events,  even  if  you  hadn't,"  growled 
out  a  voice  from  one  of  the  hammocks. 

"  Sir ! "  exclaimed  the  boatswain  very  sternly,  "  I 
would  have  you  to  know  that  I  scorn  to  exaggerate  the 
truth,  or  to  make  an  assertion  which  is  not  in  strict  ac- 
cordance with  the  facts.  If  you  doubt  my  words,  stop 
your  ears  or  go  to  sleep,  or  I'll  shut  up  altogether." 

"  Oh  no,  no,  do  go  on,  Mr.  Johnson,"  exclaimed  sev- 
eral voices  at  the  same  moment.  "We  don't  doubt  a 
word  you're  saying." 

"  Well,  that's  right  and  proper,"  said  the  boatswain, 
much  appeased.  "  If  I  do  draw  on  my  imagination  at 
any  time,  it  is  because  it  is  the  only  bank  I  know  of 
which  would  not  dishonor  my  drafts,  as  many  a  gentle- 
man who  lives  by  his  wits  would  have  to  confess,  if  he 
spoke  the  truth.  Well,  I  resolved  to  venture  on,  and 
soon  got  up  near  enough  to  see  that  the  bears  were  sit- 
ting as  close  as  they  could  pack,  in  a  large  circle  round 
the  real  veritable  North  Pole,  and  that  those  wlio  were 
moving  were  merely  stragglers,  who  could  not  find  room 
to  squat  down  with  the  rest.  I  was  standing  contem- 
plating the  strange  scene,  when  an  immense  big  fellow 
catching  sight  of  me,  came  waddling  up  on  his  hind 
legs,  and  growling  terrifically  with  anger.  *  This  is  in- 
hospitable conduct,  Mr.  Bruin,  let  me  observe,'  I  shout- 
ed out,  but  he  did  not  attend  to  me.  I  had  my  gun 
loaded  in  my  hauils,  so,  when  he  C4\me  within  ten  yards 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         135 

of  me,  I  fired,  and  hit  him  on  the  eye.  Over  he  rolled 
as  dead  as  mutton,  so  it  appeared,  and  I  had  just  time 
to  cut  a  steak  out  of  his  rump  for  dinner,  when  another 
rushed  toward  me.  I  loaded  calmly,  fired,  and  knocked 
him  over,  but  this  was  a  signal  for  fifty  others  to  make 
a  charge  at  me.  I  felt  that,  ready  for  a  fight  as  I  was, 
I  could  not  hope  to  contend  against  such  overwhelming 
numbers,  so  I  did  what  any  person,  however  brave,  sit- 
uated as  I  was  would  have  done  —  I  took  to  my  heels 
and  ran  as  hard  as  I  could  go.  I  never  ran  so  fast  in 
my  life  before,  and  good  reason  I  had  to  put  my  best 
leg  forward,  for,  in  the  course  of  a  minute,  there  were  a 
thousand  bears  at  my  heels,  every  one  of  them  licking 
their  jaws  with  the  thoughts  of  dining  off  me.  I  must 
own  that  I  did  not  like  it.  On  I  ran  straight  for  my 
signal  staff,  never  once  looking  behind  me,  for  I  could 
hear  the  bears  growling  as  they  followed  full  tilt ;  and 
so  clearly  are  sounds  conveyed  over  those  vast  expanses 
of  snow,  that  they  seemed  close  at  my  heels. 

"  By  the  time  I  had  run  for  fully  ten  hours  without 
stopping,  I  began  to  get  rather  out  of  breath,  and  al- 
most to  fear  that  I  should  not  hold  out  much  longer, 
when  to  my  great  satisfaction  the  growling  grew  less 
and  less  distinct,  as  the  bears,  dead  beat,  dropped  off 
one  after  the  other,  till  at  last,  turning  my  head,  I  found 
that  I  was  alone.  I  cannot  express  how  comfortable 
this  made  me  feel,  so  I  sat  down  for  half  an  hour  to  re- 
cover my  breath,  and  to  eat  my  dinner,  which  was  a 
cold  instead  of  the  hot  one  I  expected  to  enjoy. 

"  When  I  got  up  again,  what  was  my  surprise  to  see 
my  flagstaff  in  the  distance,  not  two  miles  ahead,  and  it 


136         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

was  only  then  I  discovered  how  very  fast  I  must  have 
run,  for  I  had  come  back  \n  a  few  hours  a  distance 
which  it  bad  before  taken  me  a  week  to  perform.  I 
have  heard  of  fear  giving  wings  to  the  feet,  but  though 
I  won't  allow  that  I  Avas  afraid,  I  must  have  flown  along 
at  a  good  pace.  Well,  I  got  up  to  my  flagstaff,  and 
found  my  compass  all  right,  though  as  soon  as  it  was 
clear  of  the  snow  it  had  a  slight  inclination  to  move 
northward ;  and  so,  to  avoid  risk,  I  stowed  it  away 
carefully  in  my  pocket.  The  handkerchief  was  frozen 
as  stiflf  as  a  board,  and  I  had  some  difficulty  in  folding 
it  up  for  other  purposes.  I  was  glad  also  to  get  back 
my  walking  stick,  which  helped  me  wonderfully  over 
the  ground.  Again  I  sat  down.  It  was  only  now  the 
real  dilficulties  of  my  position  burst  on  me,  but  difficul- 
ties never  have  and  never  shall  daunt  me.  After  a  lit- 
tle consideration  I  determined  to  discover  the  spot 
where  I  had  commenced  making  the  circuit  round  the 
pole.  For  se\-eral  days  I  was  unsuccessful ;  till  at  last  I 
beheld  a  dark  object  on  the  snow.  I  ran  toward  it, 
and  it  proved  to  be,  as  I  expected,  the  body  of  one  of 
my  ship-mates,  the  last  who  had  given  in  —  a  Shet- 
lander  —  Murdoc  Dew  by  name,  as  good  a  seaman  as 
ever  lived.  I  exchanged  boots  with  him  as  mine  were 
worn  out  with  so  much  walking,  and  then  pushing  on, 
I  came  upon  the  bodies  of  my  other  companions  and 
the  bears  we  had  killed,  by  which  I  knew  that  I  was 
steering  a  right  course  for  the  spot  where  I"  had  left  the 
ship.  I  calculated  that  had  I  gone  south  when  I  first 
thought  of  doing  so,  I  should  have  got  on  shore  some- 
where to  the  eastward  of  Nova  Zembla,  and  have  had 


makmaduke  merbt,  the  midshipman.       137 

to  travel  right  through  Siberia  and  the  whole  of  Europe 
before  I  could  have  got  back  to  old  England,  which, 
considering  that  I  had  not  a  purse  with  me,  nor  a  six- 
pence to  put  into  it.  would  not  have  been  pleasant. 

"  On  I  went  till  I  got  into  the  latitudes  where  icebergs 
are  collected.  They  are,  as  is  known,  vast  mountains 
of  ice  and  snow,  so  that  when  I  once  got  among  them  it 
was  impossible  to  see  any  way  ahead,  and  as  the  sum- 
mer was  coming  on  and  their  bases  melted,  they  began 
to  tumble  about  in  so  awful  a  way,  that  I  fully  expected 
to  be  crushed  by  them.  My  food,  too,  was  almost  ex- 
pended, and  Murdock  Dew's  boots  gave  symptoms  of 
over  use,  so  that  at  last  I  began  to  think  that  there 
might  be  a  pleasanter  situation  than  the  one  I  was 
placed  in,  when  one  day  having  climbed  to  the  summit 
of  the  highest  iceberg  in  the  neighborhood,  I  beheld  a 
light  blue  smoke  ascending  in  the  distance.  Taking  the 
exact  bearings  of  the  spot,  I  slid  down  an  almost  per- 
pendicular precipice  of  three  hundred  feet  at  least,  at  an 
awful  rate,  and  then  ran  on  as  fast  as  my  legs  would 
carry  me,  for  after  a  solitude  of  eight  months  I  longed 
to  see  my  fellow-creatures,  and  hear  again  the  human 
voice.  On  I  went,  but  still  to  my  disappointment  no 
ship  appeared  in  sight,  till  at  last  I  saw  in  front  of  me  a 
low  round  hut,  evidently  the  habitation  of  Esquimaux 
—  a  people  whose  habits,  manners,  and  appearance,  I 
was  never  much  given  to  admire.  I  should  observe  that 
what  with  -my  bear-skin  cloak  and  ray  long  beard  and 
hair  (I  say  it  without  any  unbecoming  humility)  I  did, 
probably,  look  rather  an  outlandish  character. 

"  As  I  understood  something  of  the  Esquimaux  lingo 
12* 


138         MARMADDKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

—  indeed,  there  are  few  tongues  I  don't  know  something 
about  —  I  shouted  loudly  to  attract  their  attention.  On 
this,  two  men,  dressed  in  skins,  came  out  of  the  hut,  and 
answered  me  in  so  extraordinary  a  dialect,  that  even  I 
did  not  comprehend  what  they  said.  I  then  hailed  them 
in  Russian,  but  their  answers  were  perfectly  nnintelligi- 
ble.  I  next  tried  French,  but  they  shook  their  heads, 
as  was,  I  thought,  but  natural  for  Esquimaux  who  were 
not  likely  to  have  been  sent  to  Paris  for  their  education. 
I  then  spoke  a  little  Spanish  to  them,  but  I  was  equally 
at  a  loss  to  understand  their  answers.  Portuguese  was 
as  great  a  failure  ;  even  several  of  the  languages  of  the 
North  Amei'ican  Indians  did  not  assist  us  in  communi- 
cating our  ideas  to  each  other.  I  tried  Hindostanee, 
Arabic,  and  Chinese,  with  as  little  effect.  This  was, 
indeed,  provoking  to  a  man  who  had  not  exchanged  a 
word  with  a  fellow-creature  for  so  many  months,  till  at 
last,  losing  temper,  I  exclaimed  in  English  more  to  my- 
self than  to  them, — 

"  '  Well,  I  wonder  what  language  you  do  speak, 
then  ?  " 

"  '  English,  to  be  sure,'  answered  botli  the  men  in  a 
breath,  'and  never  spoke  any  other  in  our  lives.' 

"  'Are  you  indeed  my  countrymen  ?'  I  cried,  rushing 
forward  and  tlirowing  my.self  into  their  arms,  for  by  tlie 
tone  of  their  voices  I  discovered  that  not  only  were  they 
Englishmen  but  my  own  former  shipmates. 

"  They,  of  course,  thinking  that  I  had  long  been  dead, 
had  not  recognized  me  ;  indeed  I  had  some  dilliculty,  as 
it  was,  in  convincing  them  of  my  identity,  and  of  the 
truth  of  the  account  I  gave  of  my  adventures  since  I 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  139 

left  the  ship.  I  was  cei'tainly  an  odd  object,  with  a 
beard  of  so  prodigious  a  length,  that  it  not  only  reached 
the  ground,  but  I  had  to  tie  it  up  as  carters  do  their 
horses'  tails,  to  keep  it  out  of  the  snow.  My  hair  and 
eyebrows  had  increased  in  the  same  proportion,  so  that 
I  was  more  like  a  wild  beast  than  a  man.  This  extra- 
ordinary exuberance  I  attribute  entirely  to  my  having 
lived  so  completely  on  bears'  flesh.  When  cut  off  it 
served  to  stuff  a  large-sized  pillow,  which  I  afterwards 
gave  to  the  President  of  the  United  States,  who  sleeps 
every  night  on  it  to  this  day. 

"  My  old  shipmates  told  me  that  they  were  the  only 
survivors  of  the  crew  —  that  our  ship  had  been  nipped 
by  two  floes  of  ice  with  such  violence  that  she  was  sent 
flying  into  the  air  full  sixty  feet,  and  that  when  she 
came  down  again  on  the  ice  she  split  into  a  thousand 
pieces,  which  went  skating  over  the  smooth  surface  for 
miles,  and  that,  of  course,  the  bones  of  every  one  on 
board  were  broken,  but  that  they,  having  been  sent 
ahead  in  a  boat  at  the  time,  escaped. 

"  Now  I  do  not  wish  to  throw  any  discredit  on  my 
friends'  narrative,  but  remember  that  I  will  not  and 
cannot  vouch  for  the  accuracy  of  any  man's  statements 
except  of  my  own. 

"  My  friends,  having  got  over  their  first  surprise,  in- 
vited me  to  enter  their  hut,  where  I  must  say  I  enjoyed 
a  comfortable  fire  and  a  warm  chop  —  though  I  burnt 
my  mouth  when  eating  the  hot  meat,  accustomed  as  I 
had  so  long  been  to  iced  food.  We  washed  down  the 
flesh  with  some  excellent  rum,  a  few  casks-full  of  which 
"my  shipmates   had  discovered   n(;ar   the   scene  of  the 


140         MARMADtTKE    MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

catastrophe,  in  frozen  forms,  like  jellies  tnrned  out  of  a 
tin,  for  the  wood  had  been  completely  torn  off  when  the 
ship  went  to  pieces.  When  our  repast  was  concluded 
we  whiled  awaj  the  time  by  narrating  our  adventures, 
and  though  you  may  have  observed  that  I  am  not  much 
given  in  general  to  talking,  I  confess  I  did  feel  a  pleas- 
ure in  letting  my  tongue  run  on.  It  moved  rather 
stiffly  at  first  for  want  of  practice  ;  but  the  hot  food  and 
spirits  soon  relaxed  the  muscles,  and  then  it  did  move 
certainly.  My  only  fear  was  that  I  should  never  get  it 
to  stop  again.  We  talked  on  for  twelve  hours  without 
ceasing,  and,  after  a  little  sleep,  went  on  again  the  whole 
of  the  next  day." 

A  loud  guffaw  from  the  occupant  of  a  distant  ham- 
mock made  the  boatswain  stop  sliort,  and  look  round 
with  an  indignant  glance. 

"  I  should  like  to  know,  Mr.  Haugh  !  Haugh  !  Haugh  ! 
whether  you  are  laughing  at  me,  or  at  my  veracious  nar- 
rative ?  If  at  me,  I  have  to  remark  that  it  is  not  over 
well-bred,  whoever  you  are,  officer  or  man :  if  at  my  his- 
tory, let  me  observe,  all  you  have  to  do  is  to  match  it 
before  you  venture  to  turn  it  into  fun.  It  may  have 
been  equalled.  I  don't  wish  to  rob  any  man  of  his  lau- 
rels ;  but  it  has  not  been  surpassed,  and  so  Mr.  Haugh ! 
Haugh  !  I've  shut  you  up,  and  intend  to  shut  up  myself, 
too,  for  it's  time  for  me  to  go  on  deck  and  see  what's 
became  of  the  ship,  and  that  no  one  has  walked  away 
with  her." 

Saying  this  the  boatswain  rose  from  his  tub,  and  with 
his  huge  head  and  shoulders  bent  down  as  he  passed 
under  the  beams,  he  took  his  departure  from  among  the 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         141 

hammocks.  He  had  not  been  gone  long  before  Toby 
Bluff  made  his  appearance ;  and  as  he  came  up  to  me 
I  fancied,  from  liis  countenance,  that  there  must  be  some- 
thing wrong  with  him. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Bluff?  "  I  asked. 

"  Why,  sir,  I  thought  Mr.  Johnson  was  here,"  said  he, 
without  giving  an  answer  to  my  question. 

"  But  what  if  he  is  not  ?  "  said  I. 

"  Why,  Muster  Merry,  I  wanted  to  see  him  very 
much  before  he  w^ent  on  deck,"  he  answered. 

"  On  what  account  ?  "  I  asked,  convinced  that  Toby 
had  something  to  say  which  he,  at  all  events,  considered 
of  importance,  and  I  thought  he  might  just  as  well  tell 
me  before  he  communicated  it  to  the  boatswain.  He 
was  Mr.  Johnson's  servant,  it  must  be  remembered. 

"  Why,  sir,  I  don't  know  whether  I  am  right  or 
wrong,"  he  whispered,  coming  up  close  to  my  hammock. 
"  It's  just  this,  sir.  We  have  got,  you  know,  some  three 
or  four  hundred  French  prisoners  aboard,  at  all  events 
many  more  than  our  own  crew  now  numbers,  as  so  many 
are  away  in  the  prize,  and  others  wounded.  Well,  sir, 
as  I  have  been  dodging  in  and  out  among  them,  I  have  ob- 
served several  of  them  in  knots,  talking  and  whispering 
together  as  if  there  was  something  brewing  among  them. 
Whenever  I  got  near  any  of  them  they  were  silent,  be- 
cause they  thought  I  might  understand  their  lingo,  though 
I  don't.  I  was  sure  there  was  something  wrong.  It 
might  be  they  didn't  like  their  provisions  or  their  grog, 
and  were  going  to  ask  for  something  else,  but  whatever 
it  was  I  made  up  my  mind  to  find  it  out.  At  last  I  re- 
membered that  there  is  a  boy  aboard,  Billy  Cuff,  sir, 


142         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

who  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  French,  and  lived  in 
their  country  for  ever  so  long,  and  he  used  to  be  very 
fond  of  coming  out  with  French  words,  though  he  is  not 
a  bit  fond  of  the  French,  for  they  killed  his  father  and 
his  brother,  poor  fellow.  Thinks  I  to  myself,  if  Billy 
has  not  got  much  wits  he  has  got  ears,  and  we'll  see 
what  we  two  together  can  find  out.  So  I  told  Billy,  and 
I  got  him  to  come  and  stow  himself  away  near  where  I 
knew  the  Frenchmen  would  soon  collect,  and  sure 
enough,  sir,  from  what  Billy  heard,  they  have  made  up 
their  minds  to  try  and  take  the  ship.  They  caught 
Billy  and  me  stealing  away,  and  from  their  looks  they 
would  have  pitched  us  overboard  if  they  had  dared,  but 
we  tried  to  seem  innocent  like,  as  if  we  didn't  think  any 
harm,  and  they  still  fancy  it's  all  right.  Now  if  any  of 
them  saw  me  going  up  to  speak  to  the  boatswain,  they 
might  suspect  that  something  was  wrong,  and  be  on  their 
guard.     I've  done  right,  I  hope,  sir?  " 

"  Indeed  you  have.  Bluff,"  said  I,  highly  pleased  at 
the  intelligence  and  forethought  he  had  shown.  It 
proved  that  his  wits  were  sharpening  at  a  great  rate, 
that  in  fact  he  had  got  the  hay-seed  out  of  his  hair  very 
rapidly. 

I  agreed  with  him  that  it  would  not  do  to  let  any  of 
the  Frenchmen  see  him  talking  to  the  boatswain,  be- 
cause, if  they  were  really  going  to  rise,  they  might  do  so 
before  preparations  could  be  made  to  withstand  them. 
He  might  go  at  once  to  Mr.  Bryan  or  to  one  of  the  other 
officers,  or  to  Captain  Co]ly<'r  liiinself,  but  then  I  thought 
it  more  than  probable  that  they  would  not  believe  him, 
so  I  told  him  to  run  up  and  to  tell  the  boatswain  that  I 
wanted  particularly  to  see  him. 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  143 

In  a  short  time  Mr.  Johnson's  long-nosed  ruddy  vis- 
age appeared  above  my  hammock.  I  then  told  him,  in 
a  low  voice,  all  I  had  heard  from  Toby. 

'•  I  should  like  to  see  them  attempt  it,"  he  answered, 
laughing.  "  It's  a  cock  and  a  bull  story,  depend  on  that, 
Mr.  Merry,  but  still  you  did  very  right  in  sending  for 
me.  It's  possible  that  I  may  report  the  circumstance  to 
the  captain,  as  it's  right  that  he  should  know  the  zeal  and 
intelligence  exhibited  by  boys  Bluff  and  Cuff,  though,  as 
I  say,  there's  nothing  in  it,  depend  on  that." 

Notwithstanding  Mr.  Johnson's  assertion  I  observed 
that  he  immediately  sent  for  boy  Cuff  to  his  cabin,  and, 
as  Toby  afterwards  told  me,  interrogated  him  very 
closely  as  to  what  he  had  heard.  Nothing,  however, 
was  said  to  me  on  the  subject,  and  I  began  to  fancy  that 
boys  Bluff  and  Cuff  had  been  deceived,  or  were  making 
a  mountain  out  of  a  mole  hill.  This  matter  had  not 
made  me  forget  Macquoid's  promised  visit  to  us.  The 
next  morning,  when  we  were  all  awake,  I  asked  Spell- 
man  how  he  felt. 

"  Very  jolly,"  he  answered.  "  But  I  have  no  inten- 
tion of  getting  up  and  bothering  myself  with  duty  for 
some  time  to  come.  I've  done  enough  for  the  good  of 
the  service  to  last  me  for  some  time." 

"  I  should  think  so,"  said  I.  "  I  hear  Macquoid's 
voice  ;  here  he  comes."  I  uttered  a  few  groans  which 
Spellman  repeated  with  considerably  more  vigor.  I 
let  him  go  on,  while  I  sat  up  with  a  pleased  countenance 
to  welcome  the  assistant  surgeon,  who  appeared  with  a 
big  bottle  containing  some  black-looking  stuff  and  a 
glass.     Spellman  went  on  groaning. 


144         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSniPMAN. 

"  Poor  fellow,  I've  got  something  which  will  do  him 
good,"  observed  Macquoid  with  a  twinkle  in  his  eye. 
"  Here,  take  this,  my  lad,  there  is  nothing  like  it  for  in- 
ternal pains." 

As  he  poured  out  the  nauseous  draught,  the  smell 
alone  was  so  horrible  that  I  resolved  to  do  any  thing 
rather  than  take  it.  Spellraan,  howevei",  fearing  that  he 
should  be  detected  if  he  refused,  held  his  nose  with  his 
finger  and  thumb,  and  with  many  a  wry  face  gulped  it 
down. 

"  Don't  you  think  a  little  more  would  do  him  good  ?  " 
said  I,  in  a  hurried  tone.  "I  don't  want  any  myself; 
the  fact  is,  Macquoid,  that  the  plasters  you  put  on 
yesterday,  did  me  so  much  good,  and  you  have  treated 
me  so  well  altogether,  that  I  feel  getting  quite  well  and 
strong,  and  have  been  waiting  all  the  morning  for  your 
coming,  to  ask  if  I  might  get  up." 

Mac(pioid  shook  his  head  at  me.  "  We'll  see  how  the 
wound  looks  first,"  said  he.  "  But  you  must  take  a  little 
of  my  elixir  asafoctidse  et  licorice  first.  You  evidently 
properly  appreciate  its  virtues  by  recommending  that 
Spcllman  should  have  more  of  it." 

"  Ah,  but  you  know,  as  you  often  say,  when  you 
drink  up  my  grog,  '  What's  one  man's  meat,  is  another 
man's  poison,'  "  I  answered  promptly,  for  Macquoid  was 
very  fond  of  making  use  of  all  sorts  of  proverbs,  es- 
pecially when  he  wished  to  show  that  he  was  right  in 
any  thing  he  chose  to  do.  "  I  have  no  doubt  that  it 
will  do  Spellman  a  great  deal  of  good,  or  of  course  you 
would  not  give  it  him,  it  would  be  meat  to  him  ;  but  as 
I  am  perfectly  free  of  pains  it  would  be  positively  throw- 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  145 

ing  it  away  on  me,  though  I  don't  say  it  would  be 
poison,  of  course  not." 

"  O  you  humbug,  you  arrant  humbug,"  exclaimed 
Spellman,  sitting  up  in  his  hammock  and  clenching  his 
fist  at  me.  "  Why,  not  five  minutes  ago,  you  were 
groaning  away  worse  than  I  was  —  that  he  was,  Mac- 
quoid.  Give  him  some  of  your  beastly  stuff.  It's  not 
fair  that  I  should  take  it,  and  not  him.  He  promised  to 
keep  me  company." 

"  When  the  pains  return  he  shall  have  more  of  it, 
depend  on  that,"  said  Macquoid,  scarcely  able  to  dress 
my  wound  for  laughing.  "  He  has  tasted  it  already. 
You  shall  have  his  allowance  to-morrow  if  you  are  not 
better." 

Spellman  having  betrayed  himself,  had  not  only  to 
drink  the  mixture  which  was  made  as  nasty  as  could 
be,  though  probably  perfectly  harmless,  but  to  get  up 
and  be  ready  to  make  himself  useful  if  required.  My 
neck  was  rather  stiff,  but  the  pain  was  so  slight  that  I 
felt  almost  able  to  return  to  my  duty.  I  was  glad  to 
get  about  the  decks,  because  I  wanted  to  find  out  if 
Toby's  information  had  been  believed.  I  saw  nothing 
to  indicate  that  any  one  apprehended  an  outbreak  of 
the  prisoners.  The  officers  walked  the  deck  as  usual, 
singly  or  in  couples,  with  a  look  of  perfect  unconcern, 
and  the  marines  were  scattered  about,  employed  in  their 
ordinary  occupations.  A  Frenchman,  who  was,  I 
guessed,  the  French  captain,  was  pacing  the  quarter- 
deck with  Captain  Collyer,  and  his  countenance  looked 
very  sad  and  troubled  ;  but  that  arose,  I  concluded,  be- 
cause he  had  lost  his  ship  and  was  a  prisoner.  Mr. 
13 


146         MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE    MIDSniPMAN. 

Bryan  and  some  of  the  other  gun  room  officers  spoke  to 
me  very  kindly,  and  congratulated  me  on  being  about 
again.  At  length  Macquoid  sent  me  below,  suggesting 
that  it  might  be  wiser  to  take  a  httle  more  of  his  elixir 
before  I  went  to  sleep,  but  I  declined  the  favor,  assur- 
ing him  that  the  very  thought  of  it  restored  me  to  un- 
wonted strength.  He  laughed,  and  wished  me  good 
night,  advising  me  to  make  the  most  of  my  time,  as  I 
should  soon  have  to  keep  watch  again.  "  Such  wide 
awake  fellows  as  you  are  cannot  be  spared,"  he  ob- 
served. I  was  soon  asleep.  I  awoke  with  a  start- 
All  was  dark.  I  heard  seven  bells  strike  ;  I  knew  it 
must  be  toward  the  end  of  the  first  watch.  The  voice 
of  an  officer  hailing  the  look-out  sounded  peculiarly  dis- 
tinct, and  served  to  show  the  quiet  which  reigned  on 
board.  The  sea  was  smooth,  we  were  carrying  a  press 
of  sail,  and  I  could  hear  the  rush  of  the  ship  through 
the  water.  Suddenly  the  silence  was  broken  by  the 
heavy  tramp  of  men  along  the  deck,  while  loud  shouts 
and  shrieks  seemed  to  burst  forth  from  every  point. 
The  drum  beat  to  quarters,  and  I  heard  the  voices  of 
officers  in  loud  distinct  tones  perfectly  free  from  agita- 
tion issuing  orders. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  I  exclaimed,  starting  up. 

"  What  can  be  the  matter,"  exclaimed  Spellman. 
"  Are  we  all  going  to  be  murdered  ?  " 

"  The  matter  is,  that  the  Frenchmen  have  risen,  and 
are  trying  to  take  the  ship,"  said  I.  "  And  though  they 
may  murder  us,  who  are  unable  to  resist  them,  it's  a 
consolation  to  feel  that  they'll  be  knocked  on  the  head 
to  a  certainty  themselves." 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         147 

"  I  can't  say  that  I  feel  any  consolation  at  all ;  oh 
dear!"  cried  Spellman,  jumping  up  and  beginning  to 
dress,  an  example  I  followed,  for  I  had  no  fancy  to  be 
killed  without  resistance. 

Gray  at  that  moment  awoke.  I  told  him  what  was 
occurring,  and  that  I  intended  to  stick  by  him,  and  was 
groping  about  to  get  something  to  fight  with,  when  I 
heard  a  voice  high  above  the  shrieks  and  cries,  which 
I  knew  to  be  that  of  the  Lieutenant  of  Marines,  shout- 
ing,— 

"  Charge  them,  lads." 

Then  came  the  steady  tramp  of  the  jollies  along  the 
deck,  lanterns  were  quickly  lighted,  and,  looking  out,  I 
could  see  the  Frenchmen  scampering  off,  tumbling  down 
the  hatchways,  or  hiding  under  the  guns.  They  dis- 
covered that  they  had  made  a  slight  mistake.  Not  a 
trigger  was  pulled,  and  except  from  a  few  prongs  witli 
the  points  of  bayonets,  which  caught  the  Frenchmen 
in  their  nether  ends,  no  blood  was  drawn.  Captain 
Collyer  had  not  been  quite  so  fast  asleep,  nor  had 
boys  Bluff  and  CuiF  been  quite  so  stupid  as  the  Johnny 
Crapauds  had  fancied.  The  jollies  had  been  warned 
to  be  in  readiness,  and  before  the  first  roll  of  the  drum 
had  sounded  along  the  decks,  they  were  at  their  posts, 
ready,  as  they  always  are,  for  any  thing. 

The  Frenchmen  were  soon  put  under  hatches,  and 
their  officers,  who  had  not  joined  the  conspiracy  (though 
they  might  if  it  had  been  successful,  because  then  it 
would  have  been  a  very  gallant  affair),  going  among 
them,  discovered  the  ring-leaders,  and  dragging  them 
out,  they  were  put  in  irons. 


148         MARMADTKE    MKRRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

It  was  some  time,  however,  before  complete  quiet 
was  restored.  We,  that  is  to  say  my  messmates  and  I, 
assembled  in  the  berths,  and  having  discussed  the  mat- 
ter, concluded  that  all  the  culprits  would  be  hung  next 
morning. 

As  our  pursei''s  dips  did  not  allow  us  to  enjoy  any 
extra  amount  of  light,  we  soon  had  to  retire  to  our 
hammocks.  What  was  our  surprise  next  morning  to 
find  that  the  Frenchmen  were  summoned  aft,  when 
their  captain  appeared  and  addressed  them.  I  learned 
afterwards  that  he  asked  them  whether  they  had  been 
well  fed,  comf(>rtal>ly  berthed,  civilly  treated,  and  on 
their  owning  that  they  were,  he  told  them  that  they 
were  a  set  of  ungrateful  scoundrels,  a  disgrace  to  the 
French  nation,  and  that  they  all  deserved  to  be  hung. 

Captain  Collyer  then  stepped  forward  and  said  that, 
though  they  might  deserve  hanging,  as  they  had  fought 
their  ship  bravely,  and  as  no  lives  had  been  lost,  he 
should  overlook  their  fault,  but  he  warned  them  that  if 
they  made  a  similar  attempt  they  would  be  severely 
dealt  with.  The  Frenchmen  retired,  looking  consider- 
ably ashamed  of  themselves.  The  French  captain  then 
took  off  his  hat,  and  making  the  most  polite  bow  to 
Captain  Collyer,  thanked  him  for  his  humanity,  observ- 
ing that  the  truly  brave  were  always  humane. 

I  could  not  ascertain  whether  Captain  Collyer  had 
heard  what  Toby  had  told  me,  but  two  days  after- 
wards, he  and  Cuff  were  together,  not  far  from  the 
captain,  when  he  turned  round  and  said,  — 

"  My  eye  is  upon  you,  boys  Bluff  and  Cuff,  and  if 
you  continue  to  behave  as  well  as  you  have  done,  your 
interest  will  be  cared  for. 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  149 

Now  I  could  not  help  thinking  that  they  really  had 
saved  the  ship,  but  it  would  have  been  inconvenient 
to  have  acknowledged  this  at  the  time,  and  certainly 
have  done  Bluff  and  Cuflf  no  real  good ;  probably  only 
have  set  them  up,  and  made  them  idle.  I  am  con- 
vinced that  the  captain  acted  in  this  matter,  as  he  did 
in  all  others,  with  true  kindness  and  judgment. 

Four  or  five  days  after  this  providential  suppression 
of  the  mutiny,  as  I  was  walking  the  deck,  having  volun- 
teered to  return  to  my  duty,  the  look-out  at  the  mast- 
head hailed  that  a  sail  was  in  sight.  The  usual 
questions  were  asked,  and  the  master,  going  aloft  to 
examine  her,  pronounced  her  to  be,  without  doubt,  a 
line-of-battle  ship.  It  was  not  quite  so  easy  to  deter- 
mine whether  she  was  an  enemy  or  a  friend.  If  the 
former,  we  might  have  another  battle  to  fight,  for  Cap- 
tain Collyer  was  not  the  man  to  yield  without  one. 
Having  the  prize  in  tow,  we  were  making  all  sail  on  our 
homeward  course. 

On  came  the  stranger.  She  was  on  our  weather 
quarter,  and  soon  showed  us  that  she  sailed  faster  than 
we  did. 

Captain  Collyer  now  hailed  Mr.  Lukyn,  who  com- 
manded the  prize,  to  say  that  he  intended  to  fight  the 
line  of-battle  ship  to  the  last,  and  then  explained  to  him 
how  he  intended  to  manage. 

'•  With  all  my  heart,  sir,"  answered  Mr.  Lukyn,  and 
the  crew  of  the  prize  gave  a  loud  cheer,  to  show  that 
they  were  ready. 

The  drum  beat  to  quarters,  and  not  only  did  all  that 
were  well  assemble,  but  even  all  the  sick  and  wounded 
13* 


150         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

who  could  move  crawled  up  on  deck  to  help  man 
the  guns.  Though  I  should  not  have  been  sorry  to 
have  got  home  without  more  fighting,  I  was  as  ready 
as  any  one,  and  hoped  that  I  should  not  get  another 
wound,  as  I  was  quite  content  with  the  one  I  had  to 
exhibit.  A  guard  was  kept  over  the  prisoners,  who 
were  told  that  they  would  be  shot  down  without  mercy 
if  they  made  any  disturbance,  and  then  in  grim  silence 
we  stood  ready  for  the  fight. 

The  stranger  came  on,  but  at  length  she  began  to 
make  signals,  and  we  signalized  in  return,  and  then  we 
soon  found  out  that  she  was  not  an  enemy,  but  a  friend. 
She  proved  to  be  the  Hercules,  74,  and  as  she  was 
homeward  bound,  her  captain  said  that  he  would  keep 
us  company,  to  help  fight  any  enemy  which  might 
appear. 

We  ran  on  for  two  days  when  the  Hercules  made  the 
signal  of  fleet  to  the  south-east,  and  soon  afterwards 
that  several  ships  had  borne  up  in  chase.  We  next 
learned  that  they  were  enemies.  We  had  still  the  prize 
in  tow.  Every  stitch  of  canvas  alow  and  aloft  which 
the  ship  could  carry  was  packed  on  her.  It  was  an 
anxious  time.  To  lose  our  gallantly  won  prize,  and 
perhaps  to  be  carried  off  to  a  French  prison,  were  not 
pleasant  anticipations. 

I  asked  Mr.  .Johnson  what  he  thought  about  the 
matter. 

"  Why,  Mr.  Merry,  look  you,  I  never  anticipate 
evil,"  he  answered,  with  an  expression  of  countenance 
very  different  to  what  he  put  on  when  telling  his  won- 
derful yarns.     "  Time  enough  when  it  comes.     '  There's 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  151 

many  a  slip  between  the  cup  and  the  lip,'  as  you've 
heard  say,  and  you'll  find  it  through  life.  The  French- 
men out  there  think  that  they  are  going  to  gulp  us 
down,  but  they  may  find  that  they  are  mistaken." 

Fortunately  the  Aigle  was  a  remarkably  fast  vessel, 
and  though  she  could  not  carry  all  the  canvas  we  did, 
we  towed  her  along  easily.  The  Hercules  acted  nobly, 
and  followed  like  a  huge  bull-dog  at  our  heels,  ready  to 
bear  the  brunt  of  the  fight  should  the  enemy  come  up 
with  us.  Still,  as  we  looked  at  the  overpowering 
numbers  of  the  Frenchmen,  there  appeared  but  little 
prospect  of  our  escaping.  There  were  many  specula- 
tions as  to  what  we  should  do.  One  thing  was  certain, 
that  our  captain  would  not  allow  the  Hercules  to  be 
taken  without  going  to  her  assistance.  I  asked  Mr. 
Johnson  what  he  thought  about  the  matter. 

"  Why,  just  this,  young  gentleman,"  he  answered. 
"  If  the  Frenchmen  get  near  us,  they'll  blow  us  out  of 
the  water,  but  they'll  have  reason  to  be  very  sorry  that 
they  ever  made  the  attempt.  Th6y  may  have  our 
bones,  but  they'll  get  no  flesh  on  them." 

The  boatswain's  reply  made  me  meditate  a  good  deal. 
I  wanted  to  enjoy,  midshipman  fashion,  all  the  honor 
and  glory  I  had  gained,  and  I  did  not  at  all  like  the 
thouglits  of  being  taken  prisoner,  and  still  less  of  being 
sent  to  the  bottom  with  our  colors  flying  —  a  very  fine 
thing  to  do  in  theory,  but  practically  excessively  disa- 
greeable.    I  hinted  at  my  feelings  to  Mr.  Johnson. 

"  Very  natural,  Mr.  Merry,"  he  answered.  "  But, 
just  think,  if  you  were  taken  prisoner,  how  satisfactory 
it  would  be  to  make  your  escape,  and  if  the  shiji  were 


152         MARMADirKE    MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

to  go  down  or  blow  up,  how  pleasant  it  would  be  to  find 
yourself  swimming  away  safely  to  land.  Follow  my 
example.  Draw  nourishment  from  the  toughest  food. 
Did  I  ever  tell  you  how  I  was  once  blown  up  a  hundred 
fathoms  at  least,  right  into  the  air?  When  I  came 
down  again  I  plunged  as  deep  into  the  sea,  but  I  struck 
out  and  came  to  the  surface,  for  I  knew  that  I  must  help 
myself,  as  there  ^vas  nobody  who  could  help  me.  I  got 
hold  of  six  of  my  companions  and  towed  them  ashore, 
a  couple  of  miles  or  so.  Very  few  others  escaped. 
Now,  if  I  had  given  in,  they  and  I  would  have  been 
lost,  and  His  Majesty's  service  would  have  been  deprived 
of  one  of  the  best  bo'suns  to  be  found  in  it.  I  say  this 
without  vanity  —  because  it's  a  fact." 

I  found  it  difficult  sometimes  to  ascertain  whether  ]\Ir. 
Johnson  was  really  serious  or  joking. 

The  enemy  were  all  this  time  chasing  and  coming  up 
rapidly  with  us.  Even  Captain  Collyer  looked  anxious. 
AVe,  however,  were  all  ready  for  the  fight  we  anticipated. 

"  If  we  can  keep  well  ahead  of  them  till  night  comes 
on,  we  may  give  them  the  slip,"  I  heard  the  captain 
observe  to  Mr.  Bryan.  "  It  may  be  more  prudent  on 
the  present  occasion  to  fly  than  to  fight,  but  I  am  sure 
that  every  man  will  fight  to  the  last  if  it  comes  to 
fighting." 

"  That  they  will,  sir.  I  never  saw  the  people  in 
better  spirit,"  answered  the  second  lieutenant.  "  They 
are  like  a  bull-dog  with  a  captured  bone.  They  are 
not  inclined  to  yield  it  witliout  a  desperate  tussle." 

From  all  I  heard  I  bi'gan  to  think  whether  I  should 
not  go  ai\d  write  a  letter  home,  to  tell  them  that  when 


MARMADtJKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         153 

they  received  it  I  should  have  fallen  fighting  for  my 
king  and  country ;  but  then  Spellman  appeared  on 
deck.  He  looked  so  absurd  with  his  lugubrious  counte- 
nance, and  the  plasters  still  on  his  cheeks,  that  I  burst 
into  a  fit  of  laughter  ;  and,  all  my  apprehensions  vanish- 
ing, I  was  in  a  minute  joking  away  with  my  messmates 
as  usual. 


154         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

The  Doris  under  all  sail,  with  our  hard-won  prize 
•in  tow,  kept  standing  to  the  northward,  the  gallant  Her- 
cules bringing  up  the  rear,  while  the  French  fleet,  like 
a  pack  of  yelping  hounds,  followed  full  chase  at  our 
heels. 

A  stern  chase  is  a  long  chase,  and  so  we  hoped  this 
might  prove,  without  an  end  to  it. 

"  Our  glasses,  as  may  be  supposed,  were  constantly 
turned  toward  the  enemy.  They  had  not  gained  much 
on  us  when  the  sun  went  down,  and  darkness  stole  over 
the  surface  of  the  ocean.  Clouds  were  gathering  in  the 
sky  —  there  was  no  moon,  and  the  stars  were  complete- 
ly obscured.  It  was  in  a  short  time  as  dark  a  night  as 
we  could  desire.  The  Hercules,  looking  like  some  huge 
monster  stalking  over  the  deep,  now  ranged  up  past  us, 
and  a  voice  from  her  ordered  us  to  tack  to  the  west- 
ward, and  keep  close  to  her.  This  we  did,  though  we 
had  no  little  difficulty  in  keeping  together  without  lights, 
which  we  did  not  show,  lest  we  might  have  been  seen 
by  the  enemy. 

The  next  morning,  when  we  looked  round,  not  one 
of  the  French  squadron  was  in  sight,  greatly  to  the  vex- 
ation of  our  prisoners,  who  had  hoped  by  this  time  to 
have  seen  the  scales  turned  on  us.  We  were  out  of  the 
frying-pan,  but  before  long  we  had  reason  to  fear  that 
we  had  tumbled  into  tlif  fire. 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  155 

Two  days  after  this,  when  morning  broke,  we  found 
ourselves  enveloped  by  a  thick  fog.  Thei-e  was  but  lit- 
tle wind,  and  the  sea  was  perfectly  smooth.  Suddenly 
the  distant  roar  of  a  gun  burst  on  our  ears.  It  was  an- 
swered by  another  much  nearer ;  a  third  boomed  over 
the  waters  on  the  other  side  of  us.  Others  followed ; 
then  fog- bells  began  to  ring  —  louder  and  more  distinct 
they  sounded ;  and  more  guns  Avere  fired. 

"What's  all  that  about?"  I  asked  of  the  boatswain, 
who  was  looking  out  on  the  forecastle. 

"  Why,  that  we  are  in  the  middle  of  a  big  fleet  of 
men-of-war,  and  if,  as  I  suspect,  they  ai-e  French,  and 
they  catch  sight  of  us,  they'll  make  mincemeat  of  our 
carcases  in  pretty  quick  time,"  he  answered,  squirting 
a  whole  river  of  tobacco  juice  overboard,  a  proof  to  me 
that  he  was  not  pleased  with  the  state  of  affairs. 

"  Why,  I  thought  it  was  a  French  fleet  we  escaped 
from  only  two  days  ago,"  I  remarked. 

"  So  it  was,  and  this  is  another,"  he  answered.  "  In 
my  opinion  we  shall  never  get  things  to  rights  till  we 
send  to  the  bottom  every  French  ship  there  is  afloat, 
and  we  shall  do  that  before  long  if  we  can  but  get  a 
good  stand  up  fight  —  that's  my  opinion." 

Mr.  Johnson  was  right,  as  subsequent  events  proved. 
The  fog  was  so  dense  that  we  could  not  see  a  single 
sail,  close  as  we  were  to  them,  and  we  expected  every 
instant  to  run  into  one,  or  to  be  hailed  and  probably  dis- 
covered. The  men  were  sent  without  noise  to  their 
quarters,  for  of  course  it' was  resolved  that  we  should 
fight  our  way  out  from  the  midst  of  our  enemies. 

On  we  glided.     The  dim  form  of  a  ship  was  seen  on 


156         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

our  starboard  bow.  Our  course  was  sliglitly  altered, 
but  it  was  only  to  get  nearer  to  another.  A  French- 
man hailed.  Captain  CoUyer  answered ;  what  he  said 
I  do  not  know.  It  seemed  to  satisfy  the  stranger.  No 
shot  was  fired,  and  we  stood  on.  Still  there  was  some- 
thing peculiarly  solemn  and  awful  in  the  feeling  that 
any  moment  we  might  be  engaged  in  an  encounter 
against  the  most  overwhelming  odds. 

Again  the  upper  sails  of  another  ship  appeared. 
From  their  height  she  was  evidently  a  ship  which  might 
have  sunk  us  with  a  broadside.  By  seeing  this  second 
ship.  Captain  CoUyer  was  able  to  ascertain  in  what  di- 
rection the  enemy's  fleet  was  standing.  As  soon  as  he 
had  done  this,  our  helm  was  put  up,  and  away  we  noise- 
lessly glided  to  the  westward.  The  bells  were  soon  no 
longer  heard  —  the  boom  of  the  guns  became  fainter  and 
fainter  every  minute,  and  at  length  we  had  the  satisfac- 
tion of  feeling  that  we  were  well  clear  of  them. 

"  Depend  on  it,  you  have  never  been  nearer  inside  a 
French  prison  or  a  watery  grave  than  you  have  been 
this  morning,"  observed  Mr.  Johnson  to  me. 

"  I  don't  know  that.  When  1  was  aboard  the  lugger, 
and  floating  about  in  the  channel,  I  was  rather  nearer 
both  one  and  the  other,"  I  answered. 

"  You  thought  you  were,  but,  as  the  event  proved, 
you  were  not,"  said  the  boatswain.  "  Depend  on  it,  I 
am  right,  Mr.  Merry.  If  the  captain  had  not  been 
a  good  French  scholar  our  fate  would  have  been  sealed 
long  before  this.  We  never  know  on  what  apparently 
trivial  circumstances  our  safety  depends." 

Mr.  Johnson,  it  may  have  been  remarked,  was  never  at 


MARMADUKE    MERKY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  157 

a  loss  for  an  argument  or  a  remark  of  some  sort.  His 
pertinacity  in  that  respect  puts  me  in  mind  of  a  certain 
kind-hearted  Royal  Duke  with  whom  I  once  had  the 
honor  of  dining  —  a  number  of  naval  and  military  offi- 
cers being  present. 

"  Captain  R ,"  said  he,  addressing  one  of  them, 

"how  is  your  father?" 

"  Your  Royal  Highness,  he  is  dead,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Oh  !  is  he  ;  poor  fellow  !  Then,  how  is  your  mo- 
ther?" 

"  Your  Royal  Highness,  she  is  dead  also." 

"  Oh,  is  she !  Then  which  died  first  ?  "  asked  the 
Duke  in  a  tone  which  made  it  very  difficult  even  for 
the  best  bred  of  the  company  to  refrain  fi'om  laugh- 
ing. 

Without  further  adventure  the  Doris  and  her  prize 
arrived  safely  in  Plymouth  Sound. 

We  waited  anxiously  for  the  report  of  the  dock -yard 
authorities,  who  at  length  gave  it  as  their  opinion  that 
the  frigate  had  got  so  knocked  about  that  she  must  go 
into  dock  to  be  repaired.  Everybody  was  in  a  great 
hurry  to  get  leave.  In  consequence  of  our  having  been 
wounded.  Gray  and  Spellman  and  I  obtained  it  at  once, 
and  i  invited  them  to  pay  my  family  a  visit  in  Leices- 
tershire on  their  way  to  their  own  homes.  I  got  leave 
also  for  Toby  Blufl"  to  accompany  us. 

"  I'll  spare  him  to  you,  Mr.  Merry,"  said  Mr.  John- 
son. "  Take  care  you  bring  him  back,  for  he  will  one 
day  do  credit  to  the  service  in  his  humble  path,  just  as 
I  flatter  myself  I  do  credit  to  it  in  mine,  and  I  hope  that 
you,  Mr.  Merry,  will  one  day  in  yours.  You've  made 
U 


158         MARMADUKE   MERKY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

a  very  good  beginning,  and  you  may  tell  your  friends 
that  the  boatswain  of  the  ship  says  so.  Let  them  under- 
stand that  the  boatswain  is  a  very  important  pei-sonage, 
and  they  will  be  satisfied  that  you  are  a  rising  young 
officer." 

We  got  a  sufficient  amount  of  prize-money  advanced 
to  enable  us  to  ])erform  our  journey,  which  we  did  partly 
in  a  coach  and  partly  in  post-chaises.  The  latter  mode 
of  travelling  we  agreed  was  by  far  the  pleasantest.  Af- 
ter we  left  the  coach  we  went  along  very  steadily  for  a 
stage  or  so. 

"  This  is  slow  work,"  observed  Spellman.  "  I  vote 
we  make  more  sail."  Looking  out  of  the  window  he 
sang  out,  "  Heave  ahead,  my  hearty.  There's  a  crown 
for  you  if  you  make  the  craft  walk  along." 

Although  the  post-boy  did  not  understand  my  mess- 
mate's language  he  did  our  gestures  and  the  mention  ot 
the  crown,  and  on  we  went  at  a  great  rate,  turning  up 
the  dust  as  the  gallant  Doris  was  wont  to  do  the  brine, 
and  making  the  stones  fly  in  every  direction. 

At  last  one  of  the  postilions,  who  entered  into  our 
liumor,  proposed  getting  a  horn  for  us.  We  eagerly  ac- 
cepted the  offer,  and  he  said  he  would  purchase  one  from 
the  guard  of  a  coach,  who  lived  near  the  road  a  little 
way  on.  It  was  rather  battered,  and  we  paid  a  high 
price,  but  when  we  found  that  Toby  could  blow  it  eft'ec- 
tually,  we  would  have  had  it  at  any  price. 

Proud  of  his  acquisition,  Toby  mounted  the  box,  and 
he  blowing  with  might  and  main,  highly  delighted,  on 
we  dashed. 

I  ought  to  have  said  that,  before   we  left  the  ship, 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         159 

Gray  and  I  had  presented  to  us  the  two  small  flags  we 
had  nailed  to  the  crossjack  yard  in  the  action  with  the 
Aigle. 

At  the  last  stage  we  agreed  that  we  would  do  some- 
thing to  astonish  the  natives,  so  we  oi'dered  an  open 
barouche,  which  we  saw  in  the  yard,  with  four  horses. 
We  got  out  our  flags,  and  improvised  another  for  Spell- 
man  ;  these  we  secured  to  sticks,  which  we  cut  from  the 
roadside.  Toby  trumpeting  like  a  young  elephant,  we 
waving  our  flags  and  shouting  at  the  top  of  our  voices, 
up  we  dashed  in  gallant  style  to  the  hall  door,  and  I  be- 
lieve did  astonish  them  most  completely. 

Never,  indeed,  had  the  family  of  Merrys  been  in  a 
greater  commotion  than  we  had  the  satisfaction  of  throw- 
ing them  into  by  our  arrival.  It  was  the  holidays,  and 
all  my  brothers  and  sisters  were  at  home.  Out  rushed 
ray  father  and  mother,  and  Bertha  and  Edith  and  Wini- 
fred, while  my  brothers  Cedric  and  Athelstan,  and  Eg- 
bert and  Edwin,  hurried  up  from  various  quarters,  and 
every  servant  in  the  house  was  speedily  collected,  and 
everybody  laughed  and  cried  by  turns,  and  the  post-boys 
grinned,  and  I  was  kissed  and  hugged  by  all  in  succes- 
sion —  Gray  and  Spellman  coming  in  for  their  share  — 
till  I  bethought  me  that  I  would  create  a  still  greater 
sensation  ;  so,  when  good  Mrs.  Potjam,  the  housekeeper, 
was  beginning  to  hug  me,  as  was  her  wont  in  days  gone 
by,  I  shrieked  out,  — 

"  Oh,  dear  !  oh,  my  w^ound  !  my  wound  !  " 

My  shipmates,  seeing  the  effect  produced,  imitated  my 
example. 

"  What,  wounded,  my  dear  child  ?     What,  have  you 


160         MARMADUKE    MliKRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

been  wounded  ? "  exclaimed  my  mother  and  sisters  in 
chorus. 

"  Of  course  I  have  ;  and  do  you  think  those  deep 
dimples  on  Spellman's  cheeks  —  I  forgot  to  introduce 
him,  by  the  by.  Mr.  Spellman,  midshipman  of  his 
Britannic  Majesty's  frigate  Doris  —  Mr.,  Mrs.,  and  the 
Miss  and  Master  Merrys  and  their  faithful  domestics  — 
do  you  think  that  those  deep  dimples  are  natural  ?  No, 
indeed  a  shot  went  through  his  cheeks  —  right  through 
—  and  those  are  the  scars.  See  how  Gray  limps  —  I 
forgot,  I  ought  to  have  introduced  him.  Mr.  George 
Gray,  also  midshipman  of  his  Britannic  Majesty's  frigate 
Doris,  and  my  esteemed  friend  and  messmate  ;  and  for 
myself,  I  can  scarcely  yet  use  my  arm.  So  you  see 
we  are  heroes  who  have  fought  and  bled  for  our  coun- 
try." 

In  those  days,  as  there  were  not  so  many  newspapers 
as  at  present,  people  were  compelled  to  be  their  own 
trumpeters  more  than  would  now  be  considered  correct. 
Some,  also,  trumpeted  overmuch,  knowing  that  there  was 
not  the  probability  that  there  is  at  present  of  their  being 
found  out. 

This  statement  of  mine  increased,  as  I  thought  it 
would,  the  respect  all  were  inclined  to  pay  us.  Dinner 
was  just  going  on  the  table,  and  when  we  had  satisfied 
our  hunger,  all  our  tongues  were  busily  employed  in  our 
peculiar  styles  in  recounting  our  adventures.  The  butler 
and  footman  often  stopped  to  listen,  and  not  a  little  forgot 
their  proper  duties. 

One  placed  an  empty  dish  before  my  mother,  into 
which  the  cook  Iiad  forgot  to  put  the  poultry  ;  the  butler 


At  the  last  stage,  we  agreed  we  would  do  :-omething  to  astonish  the  iiatiTes. 


MAEMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  161 

filled  my  father's  glass  with  fish  soy,  and  two  of  the  men 
bolted  tilt  against  each  other,  and  capsized  the  remains 
of  a  sirloin  of  beef  over  the  carpet  with  which  one  of 
them  was  hurrying  oflf  after  waiting  to  listen  to  the  fag 
end  of  one  of  my  narratives. 

Toby  Bluff  was  as  busily  employed  in  the  servants' 
hall,  and  from  the  broad  grins  on  the  countenances  of 
the  footmen  as  they  returned  to  the  dining-room,  I  have 
no  doubt  that  his  narratives  were  of  a  facetious  char- 
acter. 

I  never  have  spent  so  jolly  a  time  as  I  did  during 
that  visit  home.  Our  wounds  did  not  incommode  us ; 
we  had  every  thing  our  own  way,  and  all  my  family  and 
friends  made  a  vast  deal  of  us. 

At  length  a  newspaper  arrived  giving  an  account  of 
the  capture  of  the  Aigle,  and  confirming  all  I  had  said ; 
and  when,  two  nights  after,  we  appeared  at  a  country 
ball,  and  as  we  entered  the  room  the  band  struck  up 
"  See  the  conquering  hero  comes,"  we  were  in  higher 
feather  than  ever. 

Gray  and  Spellman  had,  however,  to  go  and  see  their 
own  friends,  and  they  enjoyed  the  rather  doubtful  ad- 
vantage of  again  undergoing  the  same  treatment  they 
had  received  at  our  house.  When  they  were  gone,  and 
the  nine  days  of  wonder  were  over,  I  found  myself 
sinking  into  a  rather  more  ordinary  personage.  In  those 
good  old  days,  however,  midshipmen  who  had  been  in  an 
engagement  and  got  wounded  were  somebodies  —  at  all 
events,  if  their  fathers  had  fine  country-seats  and  saw  a 
number  of  guests. 

Time  sped  on.  I  do  not  think  my  family  were  tired 
14* 


162  MARMADUKE    MEURT,    THE    SODSHIPMAN. 

of  me,  but  when  the  Doris  was  reported  ready  for  sea, 
they  calmly  acquiesced  in  the  necessity  of  my  rejoining 
her  without  delay,  and  so  Toby  and  I  found  ourselves 
packed  off  in  a  yellow  chaise,  and  directed  to  find  our 
way  back  to  Plymouth  as  fast  as  we  could. 

We  made  the  journey  without  any  adventure,  and  on 
our  arrival  on  board  found  that  Mr.  Lukyn  had  been 
promoted,  and  that  Mr.  Bryan  was  the  first  lieutenant. 
As  soon  as  we  had  reported  ourselves  we  dived  below 
to  the  berth  to  hear  the  news.  Two  new  lieutenants 
had  joined  —  the  second  was  a  Mr.  Patrick  Fitzgerald. 
I  need  not  say  that  he  was  an  Irishman.  He  was  pro- 
nounced to  be  a  most  extraordinary  fish,  and  he  posi- 
tively seemed  to  take  a  pleasure  in  being  so  considered. 
He  had  a  big  head  covered  with  reddish  hair,  which 
stuck  out  straight  as  if  he  was  always  in  a  fright,  his 
complexion  was  richly  freckled,  his  eyes  small  but 
twinkling,  and  his  nose,  though  not  prominent,  was  of 
ample  dimensions  as  to  width.  This  beautiful  headpiece 
was  placed  on  the  broadest  of  shoulders.  His  body  was 
somewhat  short,  "But  his  legs  were  proportioned  to  bear 
the  frame  of  an  elephant.  He  was,  as  he  used  to  boast, 
entirely  Irish  from  truck  to  keelson,  but  certainly  not 
of  a  high  class  type.  The  third  lieutenant  was  an 
Englishman.  This  was  fortunate.  Mr.  Haisleden  was 
a  steady  trustworthy  man,  and  had  a  good  deal  of  the 
cut  of  a  first  lieutenant  about  him.  It  is  said  that,  as  a 
rule,  Irislimen  make  better  soldiers  than  sailors,  and 
perhaps  this  is  the  case.  If  inclined  to  be  wild  they  are 
apt  to  out-Herod  Herod.  The  strict  rules  of  naval  dis- 
cipline do  not  suit  their  natural  temperament.     Paddy 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  163 

Fitzgerald  was  a  case  in  point,  but  a  more  amusing  fel- 
low and  better  messmate  never  lived.  The  ship  was 
again  almost  ready  for  sea.  Perigal,  who  had  got 
leave,  came  on  board,  looking  very  sad  at  having  had 
again  to  part  from  his  wife.  Spellman  and  Gray  joined 
the  next  day.  There  had  been  no  changes  in  our  birth. 
Perigal  ought  certainly  to  have  been  promoted,  but  he 
was  not.  "  When  the  ship  is  paid  off,  I  suppose  that  I 
shall  be,"  he  observed  with  a  sigh.  It  was  soon  reported 
that  we  were  ordered  out  to  the  West  Indies.  Gray 
and  I  took  an  opportunity  of  asking  Mr.  Johnson  what 
sort  of  a  country  we  should  find  out  there. 

"  One  thing  I  will  tell  you,  young  gentlemen,  you'll 
find  it  hot  enough  to  boil  your  blood  up  a  bit,"  he  an- 
swered; "as  to  cooking  a  beefsteak  on  the  capstan 
head,  that's  nothing,  but  what  do  you  say  to  finding  all 
the  fowls  in  the  hencoops  roasted  and  fit  for  table?  and 
all  you  have  to  do,  is  to  hold  a  burning  glass  over  a 
bucket  of  water  with  fish  swimming  about  in  it,  and  in 
five  minutes  you'll  have  them  all  thoroughly  boiled." 

Gray  and  I  laughed. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Johnson,  it  must  be  hot  indeed,"  said  I, 
and,  though  I  did  not  exactly  put  faith  in  his  account,  I 
began  to  wish  that  we  had  been  bound  elsewhere.  The 
boatswain  saw  Spellman  listening  with  mouth  agape. 

'•  Hot,  I  believe  you,"  he  continued :  "  did  you  ever 
sit  on  a  red-hot  gridiron  with  your  feet  under  the  grate, 
your  head  in  the  fire,  and  your  fists  in  boiling  water  ? 
If  you  ever  did,  you'll  have  some  notion  of  what  you'll 
have  to  go  through  in  the  dogdays  out  in  those  parts." 

"  Oh  dear,  oh  dear,"  exclaimed  Spellman  :  "  why,  we 
shall  all  be  downri"[lit  roasted." 


164         MARMADTTKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

"  IVe  a  notion  there's  some  one  being  roasted  now," 
observed  Mr.  Johnson,  with  a  wink  and  a  curl  of  his 
nose.  "  Roasted !  Oh  dear  no :  all  we've  to  do,  is  to 
sit  up  to  our  necks  in  casks  of  water,  and  bob  our  heads 
under  every  now  and  then.  To  be  sure,  there  is  a  fear 
that  we  may  all  turn  into  Blackamooi-s,  but  that  ia  noth- 
ing when  a  man  gets  accustomed  to  it.  I  don't  see  why 
a  dark  skin  should  not  be  as  good  as  a  white  one. 
Though  they  don't  all  talk  the  same  lingo,  they've  as 
much  sense  in  their  woolly  heads  as  white  men,  that's 
my  opinion ;  and  so  young  gentlemen,  when  you  get 
among  them  out  there,  just  treat  them  as  if  they  were 
of  the  same  nature  as  yourselves,  and  you'll  find  that 
they  will  behave  well  to  you,  and  will  be  faithful  and 
true." 

Mr.  Johnson's  remarks  were  interrupted  by  the  ap- 
pearance of  Toby  Bluff,  who  came  to  summon  him  on 
deck.  Blue  Peter  was  flying  from  aloft.  In  ten  min- 
utes afterwards  the  capstan  bars  were  manned,  the  mer- 
ry pipe  was  heard,  and  a  sturdy  gang  of  our  crew 
tramping  round,  the  anchor  was  hove  up,  the  topsails 
were  let  fall,  and  away  the  Doris  once  more  glided  over 
the  wide  sea  toward  the  far  west.  We  had  a  rapid 
passage  without  meeting  with  an  enemy  ;  indeed,  scarce- 
ly a  sail  hove  in  sight.  We  made  St.  Thomas's,  and 
stood  across  the  Caribbean  sea  toward  Jamaica.  Hot 
it  was,  but  not  so  hot  as  Mr.  Johnson  had  led  us  to 
expect. 

"  Wait  a  bit,"  he  remarked.  ''  It's  now  winter ;  just 
let  us  see  what  the  summer  will  be  like." 

We  were  not  destined  to  enter  Port  Royal.    We  had 


mar:\iaduke  merry,  the  midshipman.       165 

been  making  good  progress  toward  it,  when  three  sail 
were  seen  from  the  masthead.  As  enemies  of  all  na- 
tions, just  then  swarmed  in  every  direction,  it  was  more 
likely  that  we  should  have  to  fight,  than  that  we  should 
meet  with  friends.  The  strangers  approached.  There 
were  three  ships  not  smaller  than  frigates  certainly, 
perhaps  larger.  Still  we  knew  that  Captain  Collyer 
would  not  dream  of  running  away  while  there  was  a 
possibility  of  coming  off  victorious.  If  he  did  run,  it 
would  only  be  to  induce  the  enemy  to  follow.  The 
decks  were  cleared  for  action.  Slowly  we  closed,  when 
at  length  the  strangers  began  to  signalize,  and  we  dis- 
covered that  they  formed  the  squadron  of  Captain 
Brisbane,  who  directed  Captain  Collyer  to  join  him ; 
except  that,,  in  case  of  parting  company,  we  were  or- 
dered to  rendezvous  at  Aruba,  a  small  island  about 
twenty  leagues  to  the  westward  of  Cura^oa,  we  re- 
mained in  ignorance  of  what  was  about  to  be  done, 
though  that  there  was  something  in  the  wind  we  had 
little  doubt.  Various  opinions  were  expressed ;  some 
thought  that  as  the  Dutch  had  chosen  to  follow  Napole- 
on's advice,  and  go  to  war  with  us,  we  should  attack  the 
island  of  Cura^oa  itself,  to  show  them  that  they  had 
better  have  remained  at  peace ;  but  the  general  idea 
was,  that,  as  it  was  strongly  fortified,  we  should  not 
make  such  an  attempt  without  large  reinforcements.  We 
did  not  know  then  what  sort  of  stuff  the  commodore 
was  made  of. 

On  the  evening  of  the  22nd  of  Decembei',  we  anchored 
at  the  west  end  of  Aruba,  and  we  soon  learned  that 
Captain  Brisbane  had  not  only  resolved  to  attack  Cura- 


16G         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

90a,  but  that  he  had  a  first-rate  plan,  all  cut  and  dry, 
just  suited  to  the  tastes  of  British  seamen.  He  had 
learned  that  the  Dutch  had  a  custom  of  finishing  the 
old  year  by  getting  very  tipsy ;  high  and  low,  old  and 
young,  men  and  women,  all  imbibed  as  large  an  amount 
of  schedam  as  they  could  manage  to  stow  away.  Even 
ladies,  young  and  fair,  went  about  the  streets  offering 
glasses  of  the  attractive  liquor  to  their  acquaintance  and 
friends,  and  it  would  have  been  a  jjositive  insult  to  have 
refused  it  from  their  hands.  The  consequence  was  that 
the  inhabitants,  military  and  civil,  had  no  inclination  to 
get  up  in  the  morning,  and  even  guards  and  look-out 
men  were  apt  to  go  to  sleep  at  their  posts.  Captain 
Brisbane  formed  his  plans  accordingly,  and  fixed  day- 
break on  January  the  1st  as  the  moment  for  attack. 
We  sailed  again  on  the  24th,  and  had  a  long  beat  up 
against  the  trades  toward  the  east  end  of  Cura9oa.  Our 
time,  however,  was  busily  employed  in  making  scaling 
ladders,  sharpening  cutlasses,  and  manufacturing  every 
bit  of  red  cloth  or  stuff  we  could  find  into  soldiers'  coats, 
as  also  in  arranging  other  badges,  by  which  each  ship's 
company  could  be  easily  distinguished.  Each  crew 
was  thus  divided  into  storming  parties,  under  the  lieu- 
tenants and  senior  mates,  the  captain  acting  as  leader. 
The  boatswains  were  ordered  to  place  themselves  at  the 
heads  of  parties  with  ladders  to  scale  the  walls,  and 
crowbars  to  break  open  the  gates. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  in  high  glee.  "  We  shall  see  what 
we  shall  see,  and  I  am  very  much  mistaken  if  we  don't 
teach  the  Mynheers  a  lesson  they  will  not  easily  for- 
get," he  exclaimed,  as  he  reviewed  the  articles  under 
his  directions. 


MARMADUKE   MERBT,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         167 

"We  made  the  high  land  of  St.  Barbary,  at  the  east 
end  of  Cura5oa  before  the  year  was  an  hour  old,  and 
we  then  had  a  fair  wind,  the  regular  south-east  trade,  to 
run  for  the  harbor  of  St.  Ann's,  situated  on  the  south- 
east of  the  island.  Every  one  was  in  high  spirits.  We 
knew  full  well  that  the  enterprise  was  a  diflBcult  and 
dangerous  one,  but  we  saw  that  it  was  planned  with 
consummate  prudence  and  forethought,  and  we  felt  per- 
fect confidence  that  it  would  succeed.  It  was  no  child's 
play  we  were  about  to  perform,  as  the  gallant  Arethusa 
leading,  we  stood  for  the  harbor,  with  our  boats  in  tow, 
ready  at  a  moment's  notice  to  disembark  the  storming 
parties.  We  felt  very  proud,  for  we  were  going  to 
show  what  blue  jackets  could  do  when  left  to  them- 
selves. I  was  stationed  on  the  forecastle,  and  so  was 
Gray,  with  our  glasses  constantly  at  our  eyes.  Before 
us  appeared  the  narrow  entrance  of  the  harbor,  only 
fifty  fathoms  wide  ;  indeed  it  nowhere  exceeds  a  quar- 
ter of  a  mile  in  width.  On  our  right  appeared  Fort 
Amsterdam,  mounting  no  less  than  sixty  guns  in  two 
tiers,  capable,  it  seemed,  of  blowing  us  all  out  of  the 
water,  while  there  was  a  chain  of  forts  on  the  opposite 
side,  and  at  the  bottom  of  the  harbor  the  fortress,  said 
to  be  impregnable,  of  Forte  R^publique  enfilading  the 
whole,  and  almost  within  grape-shot  distance.  Athwart 
the  harbor  was  moored  a  Dutch  thirty-six-gun  frigate 
and  a  twenty-gun  corvette.  The  commodore  had  been 
ordered  to  diplomatize,  and  so  he  did  in  the  most  effectual 
way,  for  we  all  sailed  in  with  a  flag  of  truce  flying,  but 
with  the  guns  run  out  and  the  men  at  their  quarters. 
The  Mynheers,  however,  were  not  inclined  to  listen  to 


1C8         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    TIIK    MIDSHIPMAN. 

reason,  but,  waking  up,  and  seeing  some  strangers  in 
their  harbor,  they  hurried  to  their  guns,,  and  began 
firing  away  at  us.  Their  aim  was  not  very  good,  and 
few  shots  hit  us.  On  we  steadily  sailed.  Suddenly  there 
was  a  cry  of  disappointment ;  the  wind  had  shifted,  and, 
coming  down  the  harbor,  very  nearly  drove  us  on  shore. 
There  seemed  every  prospect  of  our  being  compelled  to 
abandon  the  enterprise.  The  men  in  their  enthusiasm 
wished  to  tow  the  frigates  up.  Again  it  shifted.  Our 
sails  filled ;  the  men  cheered  heartily.  Once  more  up 
along  the  harbor,  we  lay  till  we  brought  our  broadsides 
to  bear  on  the  forts  and  the  two  Dutch  ships,  the 
Arethusa's  jibboom  being  right  over  the  town.  It  was 
just  dawn ;  a  boat  was  despatched  by  the  commodore 
for  the  shore ;  she  bore  a  summons  to  the  Dutch 
governor  to  surrender,  promising  to  treat  him  and 
everybody  with  the  utmost  civility  if  he  would  ;  but 
Mynheer  von  Tronk  was  in  no  humor  to  listen  to  any 
of  the  more  refined  arguments  Captain  Brisbane  had  to 
offer ;  so  the  flag  of  truce  was  hauled  down,  and  we  had 
recourse  to  the  argumentum  ad  hominem,  or,  in  other 
words,  we  began  blazing  away  from  all  the  guns  we 
could  bring  to  bear.  This  fully  roused  up  the  sleepy 
Dutchmen,  and  we  could  see  them  (Mr.  Johnson  de- 
clared that  many  of  them  had  their  breeches  in  their 
hands),  rushing  into  the  boats  to  get  on  board  their 
ships,  or  hurrying  to  the  batteries,  which  had  hitherto 
maintained  a  very  ineffectual  fire.  We.  had  given  them 
just  three  broadsides,  when  the  commodore  at  the  head 
of  a  part  of  his  crew  put  off  from  the  Arethusa  and 
pulled  lor  the  Dutch  frigate.     Up    her  sides  we  saw 


MARMADTJKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  169 

him  and  his  gallant  fellows  climbing.  We  longed  to  be 
with  them.  The  Dutch  fought  bravely,  as  they  always 
do,  but  liquor  had  unnerved  their  arms.  The  conflict 
though  short  was  sharp.  Down  came  the  Dutch  flag, 
and  up  went  that  of  England,  but  not  till  the  Dutch 
captain  and  several  of  his  crew  had  been  killed  and 
numbers  wounded.  The  brave  captain  Lydiard  of  the 
Anson  captured  the  corvette  in  the  same  style.  Still 
clo^e  to  us  frowned  the  fort,  capable  it  seemed  of  sink- 
ing every  one  of  our  ships  in  a  few  minutes. 

"  We  must  take  them,  Bryan,  without  loss  of  time,"  I 
heard  our  captain  observe,  as  I  was  sent  up  with  a  mes- 
-age  to  him.  Scarcely  had  he  uttered  the  words,  when 
the  signal  to  land  was  made.  In  a  wonderfully  few 
moments  the  boats  were  manned  and  crowded  with 
small-arm  men,  and  with  ladders  and  crowbar  bearers. 
I  accompanied  Mr.  Johnson  with  the  ladder-bearers' 
party.  While  the  crowbar-men  proceeded  to  the  gates, 
we  made  the  best  of  our  way  to  the  walls.  Our  chief 
hope  was  to  succeed  by  a  dash.  The  Dutchmen  num- 
bered ten  to  one  to  us,  and  they  were  no  cowards,  only 
slow.  As  yet  they  had  not  half  opened  their  eyes,  or 
they  might  have  counted  our  numbers,  and  discovered 
that  our  idlers,  dressed  in  red  coats,  were  not  really 
soldiers.  Mr.  Johnson  was  in  his  glory  ;  the  exploit  was 
one  exactly  to  suit  his  taste. 

"  That  commodore  of  ours  is  a  first-rate  fellow,  Mr. 
Merry,"  he  exclaimed,  as  we  pulled  on  shore.  "  If  he 
was  first  Lord,  and  I  was  admiral  of  the  fleet,  we  should 
soon  drive  every  enemy's  ship  off"  the  seas." 

On  shore  we  sprang,  and  under  a  pretty  hot  fire  we 
15 


170  MATlMADUlvE    MKKRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

ru.-lii  (1  toward  the  walls.  The  ladders  were  placed,  iu 
spite  of  the  efforts  of  the  half-dniiiken  Dutchmen,  to 
prevent  this,  many  of  them  toppling  over  into  the  ditch 
in  their  attempts  to  shove  them  off.  Up  our  men 
swarmed,  their  cutlasses  in  their  teeth.  Mr.  Bryan  led 
one  party,  Mr.  Fitzgerald  another;  the  latter  with  a 
loud  shriek,  whicii  he  called  liis  family  war-cry,  —  it 
sounded  like  "  Wallop  a  hoo  a  boo,  Erin  go  bragli,"  — 
sprang  on  to  the  walls.  A  big  Dutchman  stood  ready 
with  a  long  sword  to  meet  him,  and  would  certainly 
have  swept  off  his  head,  had  he  not  nimbly  dodged  on 
one  side  with  so  extraordinary  a  grimace,  that  he  not 
only  escaped  free,  but,  swinging  round  his  own  cutlass, 
he  cut  off  the  head  of  the  unfortunate  Dutchman,  who 
was  watching  him  with  astonishment.  Then  on  he 
went,  cutting  right  and  left,  and  putting  the  wide- 
breeched  enemy  to  flight  on  every  side.  I  followed 
Mr.  Johnson ;  I  knew  that  I  was  in  good  company 
when  1  was  near  him,  and  that  though  we  should  most 
certainly  be  in  the  thick  of  the  fight,  so  long  as  he 
kept  on  his  legs  he  would  have  an  eye  on  me.  We 
did  not  gain  the  top  of  the  walls  without  being  op- 
posed, but  the  Dutchmen  literally  could  not  see  how  to 
strike.  A  fat  borabadier,  however,  made  a  butt  at  me. 
and  would  have  sent  me  over  again,  had  not  the  boat- 
swain seized  me  by  the  collar,  when  the  bombadier 
went  over  himself,  and  lay  sjirawling  under  the  feet 
of  our  men  at  the  bottom.  Then  on  we  went,  firing 
our  pistols,  and  slashing  right  and  left.  A  loud  huzza 
from  the  sea-gate  announced  to  us  that  that  had  been 
forced  open,  and  the  Dutchmen  finding  that  the  day 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  171 

was  ours,  and  persuaded  that  discretion  was  the  best 
])art  of  valor,  threw  down  their  arms,  and  shouted  out 
histily  for  quarter.  It  was  gUidly  given  them ;  indeed, 
there  was  no  real  animosity  between  us,  and  officers 
and  men  were  soon  seen  shaking  hands  together  in 
tlie  most  friendly  way  possible.  We  had  taken  just 
ten  minutes  to  do  the  work.  However,  we  had  some 
more  places  to  capture,  so  locking  up  our  prisoners 
with  a  guard  over  them',  out  we  went  again,  and  climbed 
up  the  walls  of  several  other  minor  forts  in  succession, 
the  same  scenes  taking  place  at  each.  There  was  a 
great  deal  of  shouting  and  running,  but  very  little  blood 
slied.  Mr.  Fitzgerald  shrieked  and  shouted,  ''Wallop 
a  hoo  a  boo,"  as  before,  and  made  terrific  grimaces.  Mr. 
Johnson  watched  him  with  great  admiration. 

"  Some  men  make  their  fortune  by  their  good  looks, 
Mr.  Merry,"  he  observed.  "  But  to  my  mind,  that 
second  lieutenant  of  ours  is  more  likely  to  make  his 
by  his  ugliness.  It's  a  proof  that  the  gifts  bestowed 
on  man  are  very  equally  divided.  He  would  be  nothing 
without  that  curious  mug  of  his." 

The  Dutch  flag  still  flew  defiantly  from  Fort  R^pub- 
lique,  at  the  head  of  the  harbor.  Garrisons  were  left 
in  each  of  the  forts,  and  with  a  large  body  of  prisoners 
as  hostages  we  once  more  returned  on  board  our  ships. 
We  now  opened  a  hot  fire  on  the  forts.  I  observed 
to  Mr.  Johnson,  that  I  heard  some  of  the  Dutch  officers 
whom  we  had  as  prisoners  declare  that  it  was  impreg- 
nable. 

"  Very  likely,"  he  answered  coolly.  "  But  you  see, 
Mr.  Merry,  British  seamen   have  a   knack   of  getting 


172  JIARM.VDCKli;    MEKRY,    THE    MIDSUIPJIAX. 

into  impregnable  places,  as  we  shall  very  soon  show 
them." 

Just  then  the  order  was  received  from  the  com- 
modore to  disembark  the  marines  and  a  body  of  seamen 
from  each  ship.  I  was  delighted  again  to  be  allowed  to 
go.  We  landed  under  the  protection  of  the  guns  of  the 
captured  frigate,  and  made  the  best  of  our  way  round 
toward  the  rear  of  the  fort,  while  the  ships  kept  hurling 
their  shot  at  it  in  front.  1  rather  think  the  Dutchmen 
in  the  fort  did  not  see  us,  as  we  pushed  on  among  sugar- 
canes,  coffee,  and  cotton  plantations.  We  got  into  the 
rear  of  the  fort  after  nearly  an  hours'  very  hot  march, 
and  then  making  a  dash  toward  tlie  walls,  we  were  half 
way  up  tliem  before  the  Dutchmen  found  out  what  we 
were  about.  Many  of  tlie  officers  indeed  were  quietly 
smoking  their  meerschaums,  looking  down  the  harbor, 
while  they  directed  the  artillerymen  at  the  guns. 

When  they  discovered  us,  dashing  down  their  pipes, 
they  hurried  to  oppose  our  progress,  but  it  was  too  late. 
Our  footing  was  obtained  in  their  impregnable  fortress, 
and,  exulting  in  our  success,  we  dashed  on.  Still  the 
Dutchmen  fought  very  bravely.  As  I  kept  by  Mr.  John- 
son's side,  I  observed  the  flutter  of  some  white  dresses 
just  before  us.  They  were  those  of  ladies,  I  guessed, 
who  had  been  sent  to  the  fort  for  security,  and  who  now, 
taken  by  surprise,  were  endeavoring  to  make  their  es- 
cape from  us.  Not  knowing  wliere  they  were  going, 
they  I'an  right  in  among  a  i>arty  of  our  men,  who,  not 
intending  to  hurt  them,  at  all  events  began  to  treat  them 
in  a  way  which  naturally  caused  them  very  considerable 
annoyance  and  alarm.     The  truth  is,  when  soldiers  and 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  173 

sailors  take  a  place  by  storm,  they  become  more  like 
wild  beasts  than  human  beings,  and  I  have  witnessed 
scenes  in  my  career  which  makes  me  even  now  shudder 
to  think  of. 

The  men  into  whose  hands  the  ladies  liad  fallen  did 
not  belong  to  our  ship.  There  was  no  officer  with  tlieni ; 
so,  calling  to  Mr.  Johnson,  I  ran  on.  Three  of  the 
ladies  were  elderly,  but  there  were  five  others,  mostly 
young  —  one  especially  was,  at  least  so  I  thought,  a 
very  pretty  fair  girl.  She  looked  pale,  and  terribly 
frightened. 

"  Let  those  women  alone,"  shouted  Mr.  Johnson ;  but 
the  men  only  looked  defiantly  at  him,  and  seemed  in  no 
way  inclined  to  obey,  which  put  him  in  a  great  rage. 

A  boatswain  has  but  little  authority  except  over  the 
men  of  his  own  ship. 

"  Mind  your  own  business,"  cried  some  of  the  marines. 
"  What  have  you  got  to  say  to  us  ?  " 

Just  then  the  ladies  got  more  frightened  than  ever. 
The  youngest  lady  screamed,  and,  I  thought,  looked  to- 
ward me.  I  sprang  forward  —  I  felt  more  like  a  man 
than  I  had  ever  before  done. 

"  Let  go  your  hold,"  I  exclaimed,  in  a  tone  of  author- 
ity to  the  fellow  who  had  his  hand  on  the  fair  girl's  arm. 
"  If  one  of  you  dares  to  interfere  with  these  ladies,  I  will 
have  him  up  before  the  commodore,  and  he'll  make  short 
work  with  the  matter." 

The  fellow  still  looked  defiant. 

"  Let  go,"  I  again  shouted,  rushing  at  him  with  my 
dirk. 

What  I  might  have  done  I  do  not  know,  but  at  that 
15* 


17  4  MAIJMADL-KK    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

moment  a  bullet  struck  him  in  the  head,  and  knocked 

him  over. 

It  was  .supposed  1  had  shot  the  man,  and  a  good  many, 

even  of  his   party,  siding  with  me   and   Mr.  Johnson, 

the  ladies  were  released. 

I  made  signs  to  tlie  ladies,  and  endeavored  to  assure 

theai  in  Fri-noli  that  they  were  safe. 

*•  I  s])eak   English,"  said    the  young  lady.     '*  Thank 

yon  —  thank  you  very  much." 

The  Dutch  soldiers  had  in  the  mean  time  thrown  down 

their  arms  and  taken  to  flight.  The  shot  which  had 
wounded  the  man  was  nearly  the  last  fired.  The  Dutch 
flag  was  hauled  down,  and  the  shouts  of  our  men  pro- 
claimed that  in  about  four  hours  we  had  captured,  with 
the  loss  of  three  killed  and  fourteen  wounded,  one  of  the 
strongest  fortresses  in  the  West  Indies. 

I  was  determined  not  to  lose  sight  of  the  ladies  till  I 
had  placed  ihem  in  safety.  I  found  that  the  youngest  was 
the  niece  of  the  governor,  and  that  she  had  a  sister  and 
her  mother  with  her.  The  governor's  daughter,  a  bux- 
om-looking damsel,  was  also  of  the  party.  I  conducted 
them  all  to  Captain  Lydiard  who  commanded  the  expe- 
dition, and  their  carriages  and  horses  being  found  in  the 
fort,  he  ordered  that  they  should  be  conveyed  back  into 
the  town  under  an  escort.  I  was  highly  delighted  when 
I  fouml  that  I  might  accompany  it.  Perigal  had  com- 
mand. The  British  flag  was  flying  from  every  fort  and 
shij)  in  the  harbor,  and  many  of  the  worthy  burghers, 
when  their  schedam-sleeped  senses  returned  and  they 
opened  their  eyes,  as  they  looked  out  of  their  windows, 
could  not  make  out   what    had  occurred.      We  were 


MARMADUKE    MEKRT,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  175 

treated  with  the  greatest  respect  by  everybody  we  met, 
and  the  ladies  endeavored  to  show  their  gratitude  by 
every  means  in  their  power.  As  soon  as  we  had  seen 
them  to  their  own  homes  we  were  to  return  on  board. 
1  found  that  the  young  lady's  name  was  Essa  von  Frau- 
lich. 

"  You  will  come  and  see  us  very  often,  Mr.  Merry," 
she  exclaimed  in  a  very  foreign  accent,  though  her 
phraseology  was  pretty  correct.  "  We  want  to  show  how 
much  we  love  you,  and  we  make  nice  cake  for  you,  and 
many  other  good  things." 

The  elder  ladies  were  more  demonstrative,  and 
wanted  to  kiss  me,  which  I  thought  very  dez-ogatory  to 
my  dignity. 

I  shook  hands  warmly  with  them  all  round,  and  as  I 
began  witli  Miss  Essa,  I  thought  it  incumbent  on  me 
to  finish  off  with  her. 

The  towns-people  were  very  civil  as  we  made  our 
waj'  down  to  the  boats.  Indeed,  they  did  not  seem  to 
mind  at  all  what  had  happened.  It  was  all  the  same 
to  them  which  flag  flew  over  the  forts.  The  English 
had  gained  a  character  for  justice  and  honesty,  and  they 
were  inclined  to  look  upon  us  as  likely  to  prove  good 
customers,  and  were,  in  fact,  very  glad  to  i-ee  us.  They, 
indeed,  probably  thought  that  it  was  a  pity  any  opposi- 
tion whatever  .should  have  been  offered  to  our  entrance. 

Our  work  was  not  entirely  accomplished.  There  was 
still  a  fort  of  some  strength,  a  few  miles  from  the  town. 
A  party  of  marines  and  blue-jackets  was  marched  out 
to  take  it,  which  they  very  speedily  did,  as  the  com- 
mandant   offered    no    resistance,    buc,  hearing   that  his 


176  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

cliief  had  capitulated,  yielded  on  being  summoned. 
Tliu?,  bv  noon,  the  whole  of  a  rich  and  fertile  island, 
containing  forty-five  thousand  inhabitants,  and  well 
fortified,  wa>  in  our  possession,  while  the  whole  force 
we  could  muster  among  the  four  frigates  was  twelve 
hundred  men.  With  these  we  had  to  man  our  prizes, 
to  garrison  the  forts,  to  protect  the  country,  and  to 
keep  the  town  in  order. 

Captain  Brisbane  was,  I  must  say,  a  host  in  himself. 
He  was  a  fine  tall  man,  with  very  popular  manners  ; 
and  though  he  showed  that  he  would  not  allow  tricks  to 
be  played,  he  ingratiated  himself  wonderfully  with  all 
classes.  He  took  great  pains  to  conceal  from  the  Dutch 
the  paucity  of  our  numbers,  and  hinted  that  as  long  as 
the  inhabitants  behaved  themselves  he  would  keep  his 
troo;)s  on  board  instead  of  quartering  them  on  the  town. 

Tiiese  troops  were  represented  by  the  idlers  of  the 
different  ships,  and  occasionally  seamen,  dressed  up  in 
red  coats  and  made  to  parade  the  deck.  He  formed  also 
a  body-guard  of  all  the  marines  wiio  could  ride,  and 
with  them  at  his  heels  he  made  a  point  of  galloping 
about  the  country  and  visiting  the  outposts.  He  never 
appeared  abroad  without  being  accompanied  by  them. 
They  were  known  as  Captain  Brisbane's  horse-marines. 
Though  horse-marines  are  often  spoken  of,  it  was  the 
only  time  I  ever  saw  such  a  body  cither  on  shore  or 
aHoat. 

We  had  a  very  active  time  of  it,  every  one  doing 
double  work,  and  endeavoring  to  make  it  appear  as  if 
we  liad  double  our  real  numbers.  The  lieutenants  used 
to  put  on  the  marine  officers'  undress  uniforms  and  all 


MARMADUKE    MERHY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  177 

would  go  on  shore  together.  Fitzgerald  unconsciously 
very  nearly  betrayed  the  trick,  for  his  remarkable 
features  were  not  easily  forgotten,  and  on  the  first  day 
he  appeared  in  his  military  character,  we  saw  tlie 
Dutchmen,  as  well  as  some  ladies,  eyeing  him  narrowly. 
Tiiey  could  not  conceive  it  possible  two  such  ugly 
fellows  should  be  found  in  the  same  squadron. 

Fortunately  Mr.  Bryan  was  with  us,  and  having 
plenty  of  presence  of  mind,  he  began  to  talk  about 
Fitzgerald's  naval  brother  who  remained  on  board. 

Captain  Collyer,  however,  thought  it  prudent  to 
prohibit  him  from  again  appearing  in  a  military  charac- 
ter on  shore.  Mr.  Fitzgerald  could  not  understand 
this,  as  he  was  not  at  all  aware  of  the  peculiarity  of  his 
own  physiognomy,  and  declared  that  he  was  very  hardly 
treated. 

I  was  very  anxious  to  get  on  shore,  that  I  might  pay 
my  promised  visit  to  Essa  von  Fraulich  and  her 
relatives.  As  bigger  men  were  wanted  on  shore,  and  as 
the  midshipmen  were  found  capable  of  performing 
various  duties  in  the  ship,  Gray  and  I  and  others  were, 
much  to  our  disappointment,  compelled  to  stay  on  board. 
Mr.  Johnson  also  remained  on  board. 

"  I  take  it  as  an  especial  compliment,"  he  observed. 
"  The  fact  is,  you  see,  Mr.  Merry,  that  I  am  worth  five 
or  six  men  at  least  in  the  ship,  and,  in  appearance  at 
least,  little  more  than  one  out  of  it,  and  so  I  am  doomed 
to  remain,  while  others  are  enjoying  themselves  on  terra 
firraa." 


178  .MARMADLKK    Mr.KKY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 


CHAPTER    VII I. 

In  consequence  of  so  many  of  the  officers  being  on 
shore,  the  boatswain  had  charge  of  a  watch.  He  trod 
the  deck  with  considerable  dignity,  and  a  stranger  com- 
ing on  board  would  undoubtedly  have  taken  him  for  the 
captain. 

I  was  in  his  watch,  and  as  there  was  nothing  to  do 
when  it  occurred  at  night,  except  to  see  that  the  sentries 
were  on  the  look-out,  that  the  anchors  were  not  drag- 
ging, or  the  ship  on  fire,  I  always  got  him  into  conver- 
sation ;  and  one  evening,  Gray  and  Spellman  having 
joined  us,  we  begged  him  to  go  on  with  the  account  of 
his  adventures  at  the  North  Pole,  of  which  for  a  long 
time  we  had  heard  nothing. 

"  I  would  oblige  you,  with  all  my  heart,  young  gen- 
tlemen, if  I  could  but  recollect  where  I  left  off,"  he  an- 
swered, in  a  well-pleased  tone.  "  Let  me  see.  Was  I 
living  on  the  top  of  an  iceberg,  or  dancing  reels  with 
Polar  bears,  or " 

"  No,  Mr.  Johnson,  you  had  just  found  your  old  ship- 
mates, and  were  living  quietly  with  them  in  their  winter 
quarters,  waiting  for  a  ship  to  take  you  off." 

'■'  So  I  was  —  ah  —  well  —  "  said  the  boatswain.  "  As 
I  was  telling  you,  when  I  last  broke  off  in  my  most 
veracious  narrative,  after  we  had  talked  on  for  a  week, 
our  tongues  began  to  get  somewhat  tired,  and  we  then 
remembered  th;it  it  would  be  necessary  to  make  prepa- 


MAU.MADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  179 

ration^  for  our  departure  from  this  somewhat  inhospita- 
ble shore,  for  as  to  a  vessel  touching  there  to  take  us  otf, 
that  event  was  not  likely  to  occur.  1  found  that  my 
companions  had  commenced  building  a  boat,  but  as  tliey 
did  not  understand  carpentering  as  I  did,  it  was  fortunate 
for  them  that  I  arrived  in  time  to  lend  them  a  hand,  or 
they  would  infallibly  have  gone  to  the  bottom  as  soon 
as  they  had  ventured  out  on  the  foaming  waves  of  the 
Polar  sea.  June  was  advancing,  and  the  ice  began  to 
move  perceptibly  at  a  distance  from  the  shore  ;  and  as 
the  icebergs  knocked  and  fell  against  each  other,  the 
ci"ash  was  truly  awful.  I  can  only  liken  it  to  what  we 
might  suppose  produced  by  a  set  of  monster  nine-pins 
tumbled  about  by  a  party  of  gigantic  Dutchmen.  I 
must  relate  one  more  event,  which  served  to  convince 
my  companions  of  the  perfect  correctness  of  my  state- 
ments. One  night,  as  I  was  retiring  to  rest,  I  heard 
footsteps  approaching  our  hut,  and,  looking  out,  I  saw 
an  immense  white  bear,  sniffing  up  the  air  as  if  he  smelt 
something  he  fancied  for  supper.  Rousing  my  com- 
panions, who  had  already  turned  in,  I  seized  my  gun, 
with  the  intention  of  knocking  him  on  the  head,  when, 
as  he  turned  his  face,  I  recognized  an  expression  I  had 
met  before.  On  his  nearer  approach  I  saw  that  he  had 
but  one  eye,  and  I  felt  convinced  that  he  was  the  iden- 
tical bear  I  had  knocked  over  close  to  the  Pole  and  left 
for  dead,  with  a  steak  out  of  his  rump.  He  made  to- 
ward me,  grinding  his  teeth  and  flashing  his  one  eye 
terrifically,  with  thoughts  of  vengeance  ;  but  I  retreated 
backwards,  and  had  just  time  to  slam  the  door  in  his 
face,  jamming  in  one  of  his  paws,  before  he  could  grasp 


180  MAIIMADUKE    ilEKRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

me  in  his  deadly  embrace.  Thus  he  was  caught  in  a 
trap,  but  his  struggles  to  free  himself  were  so  tremen- 
dous that  I  thought  he  would  have  carried  away  the 
whole  hut  with  him,  but  my  friends  coming  to  my  aid, 
we  made  fast  a  strong  rope  round  the  lower  joint  of  his 
paw,  and  secured  it  to  a  stout  piece  of  timber  which 
formed  part  of  the  foundation  of  the  structure.  "We 
then  opened  the  door  a  little,  when  he,  of  course,  put  in 
the  other  paw,  which  we  secured  in  the  same  way,  and 
thus  had  him  fast.  At  first  he  was  very  furious  and 
growled  tremendously,  but  by  giving  him  a  piece  of 
roasted  meat  to  suck  at  the  end  of  a  ramrod,  we  tamed 
him  by  degrees,  and  he  must  have  seen  that  we  had  no 
evil  intentions  toward  him.  By  slacking  the  ropes  we 
were  in  a  short  time  able  to  shut  the  door,  keeping  him 
outside.  We  then  went  to  sleep,  and  he  only  now  and 
then  disturbed  us  by  an  angry  growl  as  he  felt  the  ropes 
cutting  his  wi'ists. 

"  By  a  judicious  system  of  starvation,  and  by  gently 
administering  food,  we  so  tamed  him  that  we  were  able 
to  examine  him  for  a  further  verification  of  my  suspi- 
cions. Had  my  companions  belbre  entertained  any 
doubts  as  to  the  truth  of  my  story,  all  such  vanished 
when  they  discovered  that,  though  the  wound  had  per- 
fectly closed  where  I  had  cut  out  the  steak,  the  cicatrice 
was  there,  and  skin  perfectly  denuded  of  hair.  By  our 
pursuing  the  system  I  have  described  for  some  time. 
Bruin  became  so  tame  that  he  would  follow  us  about 
like  a  dog,  while  he  exhibited  his  affection  by  every 
possible  means.  T  shall  never  forget  the  grief  he  exhib- 
ited wheu  he  saw   us  working  away  at  our  boat,  and 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    JIIDSHIPMAN.  181 

making  preparations  for  our  departure.  Tears  fell  from 
his  ejes>  and  trickled  down  his  shaggy  breast,  his  bosom 
heaved  with  sighs,  and  he  hung  his  paws  as  he  stood 
before  us,  watching  our  proceedings  in  the  most  senti- 
mental manner. 

"  When  at  length  all  was  ready  to  make  sail,  we  had 
to  secure  him,  as  we  had  before  done,  to  the  beam  in 
our  hut,  lest  he  should  scramble  into  our  boat  and  insi?t 
on  accompanying  us.  We  knew  that  with  his  usual 
sagacity  he  could  very  easily  release  himself  after  we 
were  gone.  We  then  hurried  on  board,  shoved  off,  and 
stood  out  to  sea.  We  soon  found  that  we  had  number- 
less dangers  to  encounter.  Sometimes  huge  whales  rose 
up  and  nearly  capsized  us,  and  there  was  always  a  ter- 
rible risk  of  running  foul  of  icebergs.  One  day,  indeed, 
there  was  a  thick  fog,  and  we  were  standing  on  with  a 
fair  breeze,  when  the  bow  of  the  boat  came  with  such 
terrific  impetus  against  one  that  she  slid  right  up  it  for 
thirty  feet  at  least,  and  did  not  stop  till  she  sunk  into  a 
deep  hollow,  from  which  it  seemed  impossible  to  extri- 
cate her.  There  we  were,  like  three  young  birds  in  a 
nest,  floating  about  at  the  mercy  of  the  winds  and 
waves.  My  companions  were  in  despair,  but  I  cheered 
their  spirits  by  assuring  tliem  that  all  would  come  right 
at  last,  as  I  knew  it  would,  though,  as  it  turned  out,  not 
in  the  way  I  expected. 

"  Leaving  my  companions  to  cut  a  channel  in  the  ice 
to  launch  our  boat,  1  ascended  to  a  higher  part  of  the 
berg  to  look  out  for  a  sail,  hoping  that  some  whaler 
might  be  in  the  neighborhood.  While  there  I  heard 
a  cry  of  despair,  and  to  my  dismay  I  beheld  our  boat 


182         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    31IDSHIPMAX. 

rapidly  gliding  down  the  iceberg.  She  reached  the 
water  in  safety,  and  willi  canvas  set,  which  it  was,  I 
own,  lubberly  to  have  allowed,  she  sailed  off  before  the 
wind,  leaving  us  on  our  treacherous  island. 

"  Fortunately  my  companions  had  taken  the  fish- 
hooks and  other  things  out  of  the  boat  to  lighten  her, 
or  we  might  have  perished  ;  but  we  managed  with  the 
hooks  to  catch  an  abundance  of  fish  to  supply  our 
wants.  We  had  to  eat  it  raw,  but  that  was  nothing. 
Why,  once  upon  a  time,  I  paid  a  visit  to  one  of  the 
South  Sea  Islands,  where  the  king,  queen,  and  all  the 
court  devour  live  fish  ;  and,  what  is  more,  they  are 
taught,  when  brought  up  to  table,  to  jump  down  the 
throats  of  their  majesties  of  their  own  accord,  so  as  to 
give  them  as  little  trouble  as  possible.  It  is  one  of  the 
strongest  marks  of  devotion  with  which  I  ever  met. 

"  When  my  companions  saw  the  boat  sailing  away, 
they  were  in  despair,  and  I  had  great  difficulty  in  pre- 
venting them  from  throwing  themselves  into  the  sea, 
and  in  restoring  their  spirits.  Certainly,  an  iceberg 
is  not  the  pleasantest  spot  for  a  location.  At  length, 
one  day,  I  saw  something  like  a  ship's  long-boat  in 
the  distance.  It  approached  the  iceberg  in  the  most 
mysterious  manner.  We  watched  it  eagerly.  It  was 
not  a  boat,  after  all,  but  a  log  of  timber,  and  —  you 
need  not  believe  me  if  you'd  rather  not,  but  it's  a 
fact  —  there  was  our  pet  bear  Bruin  towing  the  timber 
at  the  rate  of  six  knots  an  hour.  I  hurried  down  to 
the  bottom  of  the  berg  to  receive  him.  Poor  fellow ! 
he  was  so  tired  with-  his  exertions  that  he  could  scarcely 
climb  up  out  of  the  water,  and  when,  to  exhibit  his 


MA1:MADUKE    MEKRV,    THK    ?.iIDSIIIP.M.VN.  183 

affection,  he  attempted  to  embrace  us,  he  fell  forward 
on  all  fours,  and  very  nearly  rolled  over  into  the  sea 
again.  As  we  sat  by  his  side,  all  he  had  strength  to 
do  was  to  lick  our  hands  and  moan  mournfully.  Talk  of 
the  affection  of  a  dog !  I  should  think  that  was  as  strong 
a  mark  of  affection  and  sagacity  as  any  dog  could  give. 
Let  others  beat  it  if  they  can.  Having  loosed  Bruin 
from  the  ropes  and  secured  the  log  of  timber,  which 
was  the  one,  it  must  be  understood,  to  which  we  had 
secured  him  in  the  hut,  and  which  he  had  dragged 
out  with  main  force,  we  set  to  work  to  catch  him  a 
dinner  of  fish.  This  was  the  least  we  could  do,  and 
we  were  so  fortunate  in  our  sport  that  we  were  able 
to  give  him  an  abundant  meal.  He  enjoyed  it  much, 
and  quickly  revived.  To  show  his  gratitude,  he  soon 
began  to  play  off  his  usual  extraordinary  antics  for  our 
amusement,  such  as  dancing  a  jig,  standing  on  his  head, 
or  rolling  himself  up  into  a  ball.  Suddenly  it  struck 
me  that  he  had  brought  the  log  of  timber  to  enable  us 
to  escape  from  our  perilous  situation.  I  consulted  with 
my  companions,  and  they  agreed  with  me,  that  if  we 
harnessed  Bruin  to  the  log,  he  would  undoubtedly  tow 
us  to  a  place  of  safety.  We  made  signs  to  him,  and  he 
evidently  understood  our  purpose,  for  he  allowed  the 
ropes  to  be  thrown  over  his  shoulders  and  secured  to 
the  log  of  timber,  and  when  we  had  placed  our  stores 
on  it  and  taken  our  seats,  he  slipped  gently  into  the 
water,  and  I  holding  the  reins,  off  he  bravely  swam 
with  his  snout  to  the -southward.  It  was  far  from 
agreeable  work,  for  our  feet  were  wet,  and  we  were 
obliged  to  sit  perfectly  quiet;  but  still  it  was  better  than 


184         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

remaining  on  the  iceberg,  and  we  contrived  to  pass  our 
time  tolerably  well  with  smoking,  eating,  and  catching 
fi.sh.  The  seas  in  those  latitudes  abound  in  fish,  so  that 
we  were  able  to  feed  poor  Bruin  abundantly  on  them, 
or  he  would  never  have  performed  the  hard  work  he 
had  got  through. 

"  At  last  a  sail  hove  in  sight,  toward  which  I  guided 
Bruin.  I  believe  otherwise  he  would  have  carried  us 
safely  to  some  southern  coast,  toward  which  he  was 
steering.  When  the  people  in  the  vessel  first  saw  us, 
they  would  not  believe  that  we  were  human  beings, 
though,  after  we  had  hailed  pretty  lustily  in  English, 
they  hove  their  craft  to,  and  told  us  to  come  on  board. 

"  Accordingly,  securing  the  timber  astern,  we  three 
climbed  up  the  side,  followed  by  Bruin,  and  were  not  a 
little  amused  by  hearing  the  mate  tell  the  captain,  who 
was  ill  in  his  cabin,  that  there  were  four  men  just 
picked  up.  He  had  taken  the  bear  for  a  human  being, 
—  there  was  so  little  difference  in  appearance  between 
any  of  us.  Ha,  ha,  ha  !  It  was  some  time,  too,  before 
the  mistake  was  discovered.  The  mate  was  disappointed, 
for  they  were  short-handed,  and  lie  fancied  Bruin  would 
prove  a  fine  heavy-sterned  fellow  for  pulling  and  haul- 
ing. So  he  did  when  T  taught  him,  and  he  would  fist 
the  end  of  a  rope,  and  run  the  topsails  up  the  masts 
with  as  much  ease  as  half-a-dozen  of  the  crew  could 
together.  The  vessel  was  the  Highland  Lass,  bound 
from  Halifax  to  .Greenock,  where  we  arrived  in  three 
weeks  in  perfect  health  and  spirits.  One  of  my  com- 
panions, James  Hoxton,  took  care  of  honest  Bruin,  who, 
not  being  accustomed  to  a  civilized  country,  would  have 


MARMADUIvE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  1  ^.l 

been  rather  adrift  by  himself,  and  would  scarcely  have 
been  treated  as  a  distinguished  foreigner.  Hoxton 
carried  him  about  the  country  as  a  sight,  and  used  to 
give  an  account  of  our  adventures,  which  very  much 
astonished  all  the  people  who  heard  them.  Bruin  liked 
the  amusement,  for  he  was  fond  of  travelling  ;  but  I  was 
vei-y  sorry  to  part  with  him,  for  he  had  become  the  most 
amiable  and  civilized  of  bears,  though  on  our  first  intro- 
duction to  each  other,  I  should  not  have  supposed  that 
such  would  ever  have  been  the  case." 

"  Is  that  all,  every  bit  of  it,  true,  Mr.  Johnson  ? " 
asked  Spellman,  with  mouth  agape. 

"  Did  you  ever  see  a  polar  bear,  Mr.  Spellman  ?  " 
demanded  the  boatswain  in  an  offended  tone. 

"  Yes,"  answered  Spellman,  "  once  at  a  show." 

"  Then  let  me  ask,  young  gentleman,  why  you  should 
have  any  doubts  as  to  the  truth  of  my  narrative  ?  " 
said  Mr.  Johnson,  drawing  himself  up  and  casting  an 
indignant  glance  at  the  midshipman. 

"  Let  me  tell  you  that  a  thousand  things  have  occurred 
to  me,  a  hundred  thousand  times  more  wonderful  than 
that,  during  every  part  of  my  life  ;  and  some  day,  if  you 
catch  me  in  the  humor  for  talking,  perhaps  I  will  tell 
you  about  them.  I've  only  time  just  now  to  tell  you  of 
another  somewhat  strange  adventure  which  befell  me. 

"  Not  finding  a  ship  at  Glasgow  to  suit  my  fancy,  I 
went  to  Liverpool,  where  I  shipped  on  board  a  South 
Sea  whaler,  called  the  Diddleus.  She  was  a  fine  craft, 
measuring  full  six  hundred  tons.  I  won't  tell  you  just 
now  some  of  the  curious  events  which  occurred  before 
we  reached  the  South  Seas.  Our  success  was  not  very 
16* 


186  iMARMADUKE    MERRV,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

satisfactory.  AVe  met  with  various  accidents,  and 
among  others  we  lost  our  first  mate,  who  was  liilled  by 
a  blow  from  a  white  whale's  tail  in  a  flurry,  and  as  the 
captain  had  the  discernment  to  perceive  that  there  was 
not  a  man  on  board  equal  to  me,  he  appointed  me  to  the 
vacant  berth.  I  little  thought  how  soon  I  should  get  a 
step  higher.  The  captain,  poor  fellow,  was  enormously 
fat,  and  as  he  was  one  day  looking  into  the  copper  to 
watch  how  the  blubber  was  boiling,  his  foot  slipped  on 
the  greasy  deck,  and  in  he  fell  head  foremost.  No  one 
missed  him  at  the  moment,  and  he  was  stirred  up  and 
turned  into  oil  before  any  one  knew  what  had  happened. 
The  accident  indeed  was  only  discovered  by  our  finding 
his  buttons,  and  the  nails  of  his  shoes  at  the  bottom  of 
the  copper.  In  consequence  of  this  sad  catastrophe,  I 
became  master  of  the  good  ship  Diddleus.  Either 
through  my  juilgment,  or  good  luck,  it  does  not  become 
me  to  say  wliich,  we  very  soon  began  to  fill  our  casks 
at  a  rapid  rate. 

"  We  had,  of  course,  always  our  boats  ready  to  go  in 
chase  of  a  fish  at  a  moment's  notice.  One  day  two  of 
them  were  away,  and  had  killed,  dead  to  windward  of  us, 
a  large  whale,  toward  which  I  was  endeavoring  to  beat 
up,  when  the  look-out  man  from  the  crow's  nest,  a  sharp- 
siglited  fellow,  Jerry  Wilkins  by  name,  hailed  the  deck 
to  say  that  there  was  land  in  sight  on  our  lee  bow.  I 
knew  very  well  that  there  wasn't,  and"  couldn't  be,  but 
when  I  went  aloft  and  looked  out  myself,  I  was  dumb- 
foundered,  for  there  I  saw  a  dark  long  island,  with  what 
I  took  i'or  a  number  of  trees  growing  on  it  like  weeping 
willows.    Presently  the  island  began  to  grow  larger  and 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  187 

larger,  and  to  extend  all  round  the  horizon  to  leeward, 
I  immediately  ordered  the  lead  to  be  hove,  expecting  to 
find  that  some  current  or  other  had  been  sweeping  us 
toward  some  unknown  island  not  down  in  the  charts, 
but  to  the  surprise  of  all  of  us  there  was  no  bottom.  I 
now  cracked  on  all  sail  I  could  set,  to  beat  out  of  the 
bay,  as  it  seemed  to  be,  but  the  wind  was  so  light  that 
we  made  but  little  way,  and  as  I  looked  out  I  saw  the 
line  gradually  encircling  us  more  and  more,  so  that  I 
must  own  I  was  altogether  puzzled  to  know  what  it 
was. 

"  The  whale  and  the  boats  were  now  about  a  mile  off 
when  suddenly  the  island  seemed  to  rise  close  to  them, 
forming  a  considerable  elevation.  While  we  were 
watching  what  next  would  happen,  the  boats  cast  off 
their  tow  lines,  and  pulled  like  mad  toward  us.  They 
had  good  reason  to  pull  hard,  I  can  assure  you,  for  one 
end  of  what  we  took  to  be  the  island  rose  right  out  of 
the  water,  full,  fifty  feet  at  least,  and  quickly  approaching 
the  whale,  the  mighty  fish  disappeared  under  it,  and 
immediately  the  elevation  sank  to  its  former  level. 
Directly  after  this,  one  of  the  crew  said  he  saw  a  large 
fire  at  the  end  of  the  island,  but  when  I  took  my  glass, 
I  ascertained  that  it  was  nothing  more  nor  less  than  an 
immense  eye.  To  give  an  idea  of  its  size,  I  may  state, 
with  due  care  not  to  exaggerate,  that  I  saw  fish  of  the 
size  of  full  grown  cod,  swimming  about  in  the  lower  lid. 
A  short  examination  convinced  me  that  wliat  I  saw  was 
the'head  of  some  mighty  marine  monster,  nothing  more 
nor  less  than  the  great  sea-serpent,  and  that  the  eleva- 
tion I  had  seen  was  his  upper  jaw.     The  crews  of  the 


188  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MlUsHIPMAN. 

tboats  confirmed  the  opinion  when  they  came  on  board, 
for  they  stated  that  when  they  were  close  to  what  they 
believed  was  the  end  of  a  coral  island,  they  saw  it  open 
slowly,  while  formidable  rows  of  teeth,  every  one  of  the 
size  of  a  heavy  gun,  and  a  tongue  twice  as  large  as  a 
whale,  appeared.  When  they  saw  this  they  thought  it 
time  to  cut  and  run  ;  nor  could  I  blame  them,  for  had 
they  not,  they  would  have  been  swallowed  with  the 
whale. 

"  Some  slight  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  size  of  the 
monster  from  its  having  swallowed  a  white  sperm  whale 
whole,  with  half  a  dozen  harpoons  in  her,  and  yet  it  did 
not  even  blink  its  eyes.  I  confess  that  I  did  not  like  the 
position  we  were  in,  for,  as  I  had  no  doubt  that  it  must 
possess  a  very  considerable  appetite,  I  thought  it  just 
possible  that  it  might  take  it  into  its  head  to  swallow  us 
up  also.  To  my  great  satisfaction,  however,  the  monster 
remained  stationary  —  probably  it  found  the  harpoons 
in  the  whale's  back  rather  indigestible. 

"  I  also  considered  that,  without  any  vicious  intention, 
should  it  take  it  into  its  head  to  be  frisky,  it  might  do  us 
considerable  damage. 

"  After  consulting  with  my  mates  it  was  agreed  that 
at  all  events  we  should,  if  possible,  avoid  the  jaws  of  the 
monster.  We  accordingly  steered  for  the  point  where 
we  believed  its  tail  was  to  be  found,  but  after  standing 
on  for  an  hour  or  more  we  appeared  to  be  no  nearer  it 
than  we  were  when  we  were  within  a  mile  of  its  head. 
Not  only  was  this  the  case,  but  there  could  be  but  little 
doubt  that  it  was  curling  its  tail  round  so  as  to  com- 
pletely encircle  us. 


MARMADUKE    MERRT,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  189 

"  You,  I  dare  say,  have  all  heard  of  the  dreadful 
passage  between  Sicily  and  the  coai^t  of  Italy.  On  one 
side  there  are  8om«  frightful  rocks,  over  which  the  sea 
roars  like  thunder.  The}^  are  called  the  rocks  of  Scylla, 
and  if  a  ship  gets  on  them  she  is  dashed  to  pieces  in  a 
quarter  less  than  no  time.  On  the  other  side  is  the 
awful  whirlpool  of  Charybdis,  which  draws  ships  fronr 
miles  toward  it,  and  sucks  them  under  the  water  like 
.  truws ;  so  I've  heard  say,  but  as  I've  not  seen  it  done, 
I  can't  vouch  for  the  truth  of  the  story.  If  you  keep 
on  one  side  you've  a  chance  of  being  cast  away  on  the 
rocks,  if  on  the  other,  of  being  sucked  down  by  the 
whirlpool.  We  were  now  much  in  the  same  condition. 
If  we  stood  on  too  long  on  one  tack,  we  ran  a  risk  of 
sailing  down  the  ?erpeni's  mouth  ;  if  on  the  other,  of 
getting  an  ugly  slap  with  his  tail  —  supposing  that  he 
had  got  a  tail  anywhere  in  the  distance  to  slap  us  with. 

"As  I  swept  the  horizon  with  my  glass,  his  monstrous 
body  appeared  on  every  side  of  us,  except  dead  to 
windward,  where  there  was  a  clear  opening,  toward 
■which  point  we  were  doing  our  best  to  beat  up.  Even 
that  small  space  appeared  to  be  narrowing.  I  watched 
it  with  no  little  anxiety  —  so  did  the  mate,  and  so  did 
Jerry  Wilkins.  Jerry  was  the  first  to  discover  that  the 
serpent  had  a  tail. 

"'T  see  it  —  I  see  it,'  sung  out  Jerry.  'For  all  the 
world  like  the  Falls  of  Niagara  dancing  a  hornpipe.' 

"  It  was  a  fact.  There  was  no  doubt  of  that ;  and 
what  did  the  monster  do  but  finish  by  clapping  his  tail 
into  his  mouth,  and  then  he  lay  just  like  a  big  cod-fish 
on  a  fishmonger's  stall.     It  was  a  fashion  we  concluded 


190         MARMADUKE    MEERY,    THE    MIDSIIIPMAX. 

he  had  when  he  wished  to  bask  in  the  sun,  but  a  very 
inconvenient  one  to  us  just  then. 

"  We  were,  indeed,  in  a  pretty  fix,  for  we  could  not 
tell  how  long  he  might  take  to  sleep ;  judging  by  his 
size,  a  year  or  so  would  have  sufficed  merely  for  a 
morning's  nap,  and  we  might  all  be  starved  before  wo 
could  hope  to  get  free.  We  were  in  a  complete  lake, 
do  ye  see,  and  the  Diddleus  was  like  a  child's  toy  float- 
ing in  the  middle  of  it.  It  made  us  feel  very  small,  I 
can  assure  you.  I  considered  that  the  best  thing  we 
could  do,  under  the  circumstances,  would  be  to  heave  to 
near  his  head,  so  that,  should  he  in  his  sleep  let  his  tail 
slip  from  between  his  teeth,  we  might  have  time  to  beat 
round  his  jaws. 

"  When,  however,  we  got  near  his  head,  the  crew 
were  so  frightened  with  its  terrific  appearance,  that  I 
saw  that  there  would  be  a  regular  mutiny,  or  that  in 
their  terror  they  would  all  be  jumping  overboard,  if  T 
did  not  bear  up  again  pretty  quickly. 

"  We  had  an  old  fellow  on  board,  Joe  Hobson  by 
name,  who  was  considered  an  oracle  by  the  crew,  and 
he  added  to  their  fears  by  telling  them  that  he  had  often 
heard  of  these  big  sea-serpents  before,  and  that,  as  they 
usually  slept  a  dozen  years  or  so  on  a  stretch,  we  should 
be  certainly  starved  before  we  could  get  out.  I  had, 
however,  no  fear  about  starving,  because  I  knew  we 
could  catch  fish  enough  for  our  support,  and  I  had  a 
plan  by  which  I  hoped,  if  he  did  sleep  on,  we  might 
escape.  To  occupy  the  time  I  ran  down  alongside  the 
head  and  shoulders,  and  then  beat  up  again  round  by 
the  tail  end,  and  this  survey,  though  we  had  a  strong 
breeze,  occupied  fully  three  days. 


MAKMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    J1IDSHIP3IAN.  191 

"  I  now  resolved  to  put  into  execution  my  plan,  which 
was  simply  to  cut  a  channel  for  the  ship  right  through 
the  serpent's  back.  I  considered  that  one  deep  enough 
to  float  the  ship  would  be  like  a  mere  scratch  on  the 
skin  to  him,  and  would  not  wake  him.  I  took,  how- 
ever, a  precaution  few  would  have  thought  off.  The 
surgeon  had  a  cask  of  laudanum,  so,  lowering  it  into  a 
boat,  with  a  few  brave  fellows  as  volunteers,  we  pulled 
right  up  to  the  serpent's  mouth.  I  had  a  line  fast  to 
the  bung.  Watching  our  opportunity,  when  the  serpent 
lifted  his  jaws  a  little,  we  let  the  cask  float  into  his 
mouth.  I  then  pulled  the  line  —  the  bung  came  out, 
and  the  laudanum,  of  course,  ran  down  his  throat. 

"  Now,  I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  under  ordinary  cir- 
cumstances that  quantity  could  have  had  any  effect  on 
so  large  a  beast,  for  there  was  only  a  hogshead  of  it  ; 
but  the  doctor  observed  he  placed  some  hopes  of  the 
opiate  working  from  the  creature  being  totally  unac- 
customed to  such  a  dose. 

"  I  had  reason  to  think  that  it  took  immediate  effect, 
for  before  an  hour  had  elapsed,  he  snored  so  loudly  that 
we  could  scarcely  hear  ourselves  speak,  though  we  were 
fully  a  mile  distant  from  his  head,  I  now  made  sail 
for  the  middle  of  his  body,  where  I  judged  that  there 
would  be  more  fat  and  less  sense  of  feeling.  It  took  ua 
a  day  to  reach  the  spot ;  then  heaving  the  ship  to,  we 
lowered  the  boats  to  land  on  the  serpent's  back.  It 
was,  I  assure  you,  nervous  work  at  first,  and  we  had  no 
little  difficulty  in  climbing  up  his  sides,  which  were  un- 
commonly slippery  ;  but  we  succeeded  at  last,  and  forth- 
with set  to  work  with  knives  and  saws  to  cut  into  his 


192  MARMADUKE    MF.RRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

back.  At  first  we  made  but  little  progress,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  barnacles,  which  covered  his  skin  to  the 
depth  of  some  feet,  but  when  we  got  fairly  through  the 
skin  we  found  to  our  great  joy  that  there  was  as  good 
blubber  as  we  had  ever  cut  out  of  a  fat  whale.  We, 
therefore,  made  up  our  fires,  and  as  we  cut  out  the  flesh 
we  sent  it  on  board  to  be  boiled.  So  hard  did  we  work, 
that  in  ten  days  we  had  cut  a  channel  deep  enough  to 
admit  the  ship,  and  had  besides  got  a  full  cargo  of  the 
finest  oil  that  had  ever  been  seen. 

"  We  accordingly  hoisted  in  the  boats,  made  all  sail, 
and  ran  smack  on  to  the  very  centre  of  the  serpent's 
back.  We  had,  however,  not  got  quite  over  when,  our 
keel  tickling  him,  I  suppose,  he  awoke  partially,  and  let- 
ting his  tail  slip  out  of  his  mouth,  off  he  went  in  a  north- 
erly direction,  at  the  rate  of  forty  knots  an  hour,  with 
the  good  ship  Diddleus  on  his  back. 

"  We  quickly  clewed  up  the  sails,  or  our  masts  would 
to  a  certainty  have  gone  over  the  side.  On  he  went  in 
this  way  for  three  days,  when  the  opium  again  making 
him  drowsy,  he  put  his  tail  into  his  mouth,  as  a  little 
child  does  its  thumb,  and  once  more  went  ofi"  to  sleep. 
The  movement  caused  the  ship  to  glide  off  into  the  sea, 
outside  the  circle,  and  there  being  a  strong  southerly 
wind,  you  may  be  sure  we  lost  no  time  in  making  all 
sail  to  get  clear  of  so  awkward  a  customer.  The  people 
set  up  a  shout  of  joy  whe*n  they  saw  him  like  a  large 
island  boating  far  astern  of  the  ship.  I  ordered  them 
to  be  silent  lest  they  should  wake  him  up,  and  told  them 
not  to  be  too  sure  that  we  were  yet  altogether  clear  of 
hiin.     As  it  turned  out,  I  was  right. 


MARMADUKE    MERRT,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  193 

"  For  two  days  we  sailed  on  without  any  thing  unu- 
sual happening,  and  the  crew  had  begun  to  recover  their 
usual  spirits,  when,  just  as  it  had  gone  two  bells  in  the 
middle  watch,  the  first  mate  called  me  up,  in  great 
alarm,  to  say  that  there  were  two  glaring  lights  right 
astern  of  us,  coming  up  fast  with  the  ship.  A  strong  hot 
wind,  and  an  almost  overpowering  smell  of  sulphur  con- 
vinced me  of  the  dreadful  truth  ;  —  we  were  pursued  by 
the  big  sea-serpent.  I  saw  that  there  was  nothing  to 
be  done  but  to  run  for  it,  so  we  made  all  sail,  studden 
sails  alow  and  aloft,  and  as  the  Diddleus  was  a  good  one 
to  go,  away  we  bowled  with  the  monster  in  hot  chase 
after  us.  And  now,  young  gentlemen,  as  my  watch  is 
up,  and  Mr.  Fitzgerald  will  be  on  deck  presently  to  re- 
lieve me,  I  must  bring  my  tale  of  the  big  sea-serpent  to 
an  end  for  the  present.  What  happened  next  I'll  tell 
you  another  night ;  I  think  you'll  agree  that  there  are 
not  many  men  afloat  who  have  seen  stranger  sights  than 
I  have  ;  and  yet  I  don't  say,  mind  j'ou,  that  the  one  I 
have  just  told  you  about,  is  the  strangest  by  very  far  — 
ha  !  ha  !  ha !     I  should  think  not." 

When  the  watch  was  relieved,  we  all  turned  in,  and, 
though  I  went  to  sleep  quickly  enough,  I  must  own  that 
I  was  all  night  long  dreaming  that  I  was  on  board  the 
Diddleus,  chased  by  the  big  sea-serpent.  The  next  day 
I  got  leave  to  go  on  shore  to  pay  my  respects  to  the 
governor's  family.  I  had  never  been  made  so  much  of 
as  I  was  by  those  Dutch  ladies,  even  during  my  last 
visit  home,  and  Miss  Essa  and  I  became  more  and  more 
intimate.  1  thought  her,  indeed,  the  most  charming 
young  lady  I  had  ever  seen,  and  I  do  not  know  how 
17 


194         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

affairs  would  have  ended,  had  I  not  had  cause  to  suspect 
that,  though  she  treated  me  with  very  sisterly  regard, 
she  still  looked  upon  me  only  as  a  young  midshipman, 
and  a  mere  boy.  At  first  I  was  very  indignant,  and 
thought  her  very  ungrateful ;  but  when  I  told  my  griefs 
to  Gray,  he  laughed,  and  assured  me  that  when  I  went 
home  I  should  consider  my  own  sisters  very  far  superior. 
I  n  ust  own  he  was  right. 

We  held  the  whole  island  of  Curacoa  in  subjection  for 
six  months  without  any  reinforcements,  and  at  length 
were  relieved  by  the  arrival  of  troops  from  Jamaica. 
"We  sailed  shortly  after  for  that  island.  Having  refitted 
at  Port  Royal,  we  were  once  more  at  sea  on  the  look-out 
for  enemies. 

I  had  read  and  heard  of  so  many  gallant  things  being 
done,  that  I  became  very  anxious  also  to  do  something 
to  distinguish  myself.  I  talked  the  matter  over  with 
Gray.  He  had  the  same  feeling,  and  we  agreed  that 
we  would  seize  the  first  opportunity  of  doing  something, 
though  what  we  would  do  would  depend  upon  circum- 
stances. Week  after  week  passed  away,  and  the  oppor- 
tunity we  looked  for  did  not  occur.  At  last,  one  day, 
when  close  in  with  one  of  the  numerous  small  islands 
of  those  seas,  Mr.  Bryan  called  me  up,  and  ordered  me 
to  take  command  of  the  second  cutter,  with  six  seamen 
and  a  couple  of  marines,  and  to  go  on  shore  to  collect 
sand  for  the  use  of  the  ship.  I  asked  if  Gray  might  ac- 
company me. 

"  To  keep  each  other  out  of  mischief,  I  suppose,"  he 
observed.  "  Yes,  he  may  go,  but,  remember  there's  an 
order  against  taking  arras  with  you.     It  is  feared  that 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         195 

you  youngsters  will  be  running  your  heads  into  danger 
if  you  have  the  means  of  fighting." 

There  was  nothing  very  romantic  or  interesting  in 
prospect  for  us,  but  still  it  was  something  to  get  away 
from  the  ship,  and  to  feel  that,  in  a  certain  sense,  we  were 
to  be  our  own  masters  for  a  few  hours.  Billy  Wise,  the 
captain's  steward,  was  also  sent  in  the  boat.  I  have  not 
mentioned  Billy  for  some  time.  He  had  not,  however, 
improved  in  sense  since  he  came  to  sea  this  time,  but 
was  continually  committing  some  extraordinary  blunder 
or  other.  Toby  Bluff  also  accompanied  us.  The  boat 
was  manned  and  ready  to  shove  off,  but  Gray  had  not 
appeared,  so  I  ran  up  the  side  to  call  him,  leaving  Billy 
in  charge.  I  was  not  gone  a  minute,  for  Gray,  wlio  was 
waiting  for  a  basket  to  collect  shells,  at  once  joined  me. 
The  wind  was  light,  and  while  the  frigate,  under  easy 
sail,  stood  offshore,  we  pulled  toward  it. 

We  had  not  got  far  from  the  ship,  when  a  piece  of 
sail-cloth  being  kicked  aside,  I  saw  under  it  sevei'al 
ship's  muskets.  I  counted  five  of  them.  I  found  also 
that  there  was  a  supply  of  ammunition  and  half  a  dozen 
cutlasses.  How  they  came  there  was  a  mystery.  No 
one  knew,  at  least  no  one  would  tell.  Billy  Wise  said 
that  all  sorts  of  things  had  been  handed  into  the  boat, 
and  that  the  men  had  told  him  that  they  were  spades  to 
dig  sand.  Gray  and  I  agreed  that,  though  we  could  not 
have  ventured  to  disobey  orders  and  take  arms,  since 
the  muskets  were  there,  if  we  should  meet  with  an  en- 
emy, it  would  of  course  be  our  duty  to  use  them.  The 
chances,  however,  of  our  falling  in  with  one  seemed 
very  remote. 


196         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

The  lieat  was  considerable,  but  not  quite  so  hot  as 
Mr.  Johnson  had  declared  we  should  find  it.  We  had 
a  long  pull,  however,  and  as  the  men  were  somewhat 
exhausted,  I  allowed  them  to  take  some  rest  and  re- 
freshment before  they  began  to  load  the  boat.  Of 
course  it  was  not  the  sand  close  down  to  the  sea  whirh 
was  required,  but  that  which,  being  constantly  exposed 
to  the  effects  of  the  sun  and  wind,  had  become  fine  and 
white.  The  operation  of  carrying  it  to  tiie  boat  there- 
fore took  some  time.  Gray  and  I  had  brought  some 
cold  beef  and  biscuit  and  rum  and  water,  and  so  we  sat 
ourselves  down  in  the  shade  of  a  clump  of  palm  trees 
to  discuss  our  provisions,  and  try  and  get  cool.  Some 
of  the  men  then  asked  leave  to  bathe,  and  I  told  them 
that  they  might  do  so,  warning  them  to  beware  of  sharks 
and  not  to  get  out  of  tlieir  depth. 

They  had  been  frolicking  about  for  some  time,  while 
Billy  Wise  was  sitting  down  at  some  little  distance  off 
watching  them.  Suddenly  the  thought  seized  him  that 
he  too  would  have  a  bathe,  but  he  fancied  some  rocks 
further  away  which  might  serve  as  a  dressing-room. 
The  other  men  now  began  to  go  on  with  the  duty  we 
had  come  on.  Toby  Bluff,  meantime,  was  strolling 
along  the  shore  looking  for  shells  for  Gray  and  me. 
Suddenly  we  heard  him  shouting,  — 

"  Help !  help  !  There's  Billy  Wise  drowning.  Some 
beast  has  got  hold  of  him  !  " 

We  rushed  toward  the  spot  where  poor  Billy  had  last 
been  seen.  There  was  a  considerable  commotion  in  the 
water.  Now  a  leg,  now  an  arm  appearing.  We  ran 
on.     Two  of  the  men  who  had  accompanied  us  dashed 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAK.  197 

into  the  sea,  as  we  also  did,  and  we  all  made  our  way 
up  to  the  spot  just  as  poor  Billy  had  disappeared  under 
the  water.  We  could  see  his  limbs,  however,  and,  seiz- 
ing hold  of  him,  we  all  dragged  away  and  brought  him 
to  the  surface.  The  cause  of  his  disappearance  was 
explained.  Round  his  right  leg  and  arm,  and  indeed 
his  neck,  were  entwined  the  long  tentacul*  or  arms  of 
what  I  fancy  was  a  huge  squid.  To  clear  him  of  the 
horrible  mass  seemed  impossible.  Indeed  it  appeared 
as  if  the  poor  fellow  was  already  dead.  We  shouted 
for  the  rest  of  the  men,  and  with  their  assistance  we 
dragged  Billy  and  the  creature  into  shallow  water.  The 
monster  would  not  let  go,  and  we  all  set  to  work  with 
our  knives  to  cut  it  away  arm  by  arm,  and  feeler  by 
feeler.  Till  this  was  done,  there  was  evidently  no 
chance  of  our  being  able  to  restore  animation.  As  it 
was,  there  seemed  to  be  very  little  prospect  of  reviving 
the  poor  fellow.  At  length,  however,  we  got  him  clear 
of  the  horrible  mass,  which  dropped  into  the  sea,  and 
none  of  us  were  inclined  to  stop  and  examine  it.  I  never 
have  been  quite  certain  what  it  really  was.  The  sand 
was  hot  enough  to  hatch  a  turtle's  egg,  so  we  laid  Billy 
down  on  it  and  set  to  work  to  rub  him  all  over  his 
body.  After  a  time  an  eyelid  moved,  and  then  his 
limbs  began  to  twitch,  and  that  encouraged  us  to  rub 
harder  and  harder,  till  at  length,  to  my  infinite  relief,  he 
breathed,  and,  getting  rid  of  some  of  the  salt  water  he 
bad  swallowed,  he  sat  up  and  stared  round  him,  exclaim- 
ing, "  Hallo,  mates,  have  you  caught  the  big  fish  ?  I 
thought  as  how  I'd  a  gripe  of  him  myself."  Billy  nev- 
er heard  the  end  of  his  big  fish.  When  he  attempted 
17* 


198  MARMADUKE    MERRT,    THE    MIDSniPMAN. 

to  put  on  his  cl'^thes,  he  comphiined  that  he  was  stung 
all  over,  and  so  the  men  carried  him  just  as  he  was  to 
the  boat.  Tbcy  had,  however,  no  little  difficulty  in 
keeping  him  there,  for  when  his  hitherto  impeded  cir- 
culation was  completely  restored,  the  stinging  sensation 
increased,  and  made  him  feel  that  only  a  plunge  in  the 
sea  would  cure  him.  This  event  had  delayed  us  con- 
siderably. "We  ought  to  have  taken  our  departure  from 
the  island  even  before  Billy  had  begun  to  bathe,  and  so, 
when  I  looked  at  my  watch,  I  found  that  we  were  two 
hours  at  least  behind  our  time.  At  last  we  shoved  off, 
but  where  the  frigate  was  we  could  not  tell.  Gray 
thought  that  she  must  have  drifted  round  to  the  other 
side  of  the  island.  AVe  had  been  directed  to  keep  a 
look  out  for  her,  but  had  neglected  to  do  so.  Then  it 
became  a  question  to  which  side  she  had  drifted.  To 
ascertain,  we  lay  on  our  oars,  and  found  a  current  run- 
ning to  the  east,  and  so  decided  that  she  must  have  gone 
in  that  direction.  We  now  pulled  merrily  along,  sure 
of  soon  falling  in  with  her.  Billy  Wise  was  the  only 
unhappy  one  of  the  party.  He  could  not  tell  what  was 
going  to  happen  to  him,  till  the  men  told  him  he  must 
have  fallen  into  a  hedge  of  sea-nettles,  and  that  he 
would  soon  get  well  again.  This  comforted  him  consid- 
erably, and  so  he  consented  to  put  on  his  clothes  and 
sit  quiet.  ! 

It  was  now  growing  dusk,  when,  as  we  rounded  a 
point.  Gray  exclaimed  that  he  saw  a  sail  ahead.  I 
jumped  upon  the  seat,  and  made  out  that  she  was  a 
echooner  standing  off  the  land. 

"  She  hasn't  mui'h  wind,"  Gray  remarked. 


MAR5IADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  199 

"  We  might  overhaul  her,"  said  I. 

"  We  ought  to  do  so,"  remarked  Gray ;  "  she  may  be 
an  enemy." 

"  We've  got  arms,  sir,"  said  one  of  the  men. 

"  And  ammunition,"  added  another. 

*'  Many  a  rich  prize  has  been  taken  by  a  boat's  crew," 
observed  the  cockswain,  the  oldest  man  in  the  boat. 

''  Well,  Gray,  suppose  we  just  pull  up  to  her  and 
ascertain  what  she  is,"  said  I. 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  he  answered ;  "  it's  a  pity,  now 
we've  got  the  muskets  and  ammunition,  if  we  have  the 
chance,  that  we  should  not  make  use  of  them." 

I  fully  agreed  with  him.  My  only  fear  was  that  the 
schooner  might,  after  all,  not  prove  an  enemy.  The 
wind  was  dropping  gradually  —  there  was  little  doubt 
that  we  should  get  up  to  her. 

"  I  suppose  that  the  captain  won't  mind  much  if  she 
is  an  enemy  and  we  attack  her,"  continued  Gray. 
"  He'll  suspect,  though,  that  we  disobeyed  orders,  and 
had  arms  in  the  boat." 

"  Not  if  we  take  her,"  I  answered.  "  He'll  not  ask 
questions.  If  we  fail  we  shall  get  into  a  terrible  row  — 
we  may  count  on  that ;  but  we  must  take  her,  and  it  will 
stick  a  feather  in  our  caps,  and  put  some  dollars  in  our 
pockets  too." 

We  were  pulling  steadily  on  all  this  time.  We  got 
the  muskets  up,  and  ascertained  that  they  were  dry,  and 
loading  them,  placed  them  on  the  thwarts  ready  for  use. 
The  schooner  held  her  course.  ■  There  was  just  wind 
enough  to  fill  her  sails,  and  no  more.  I  felt  convinced 
that  she  was  French.    I  asked  the  cockswain,  Ned  Daw- 


200  MARMADUKE    MEURY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

lish,  his  opinion.  He  agreed  with  me,  and  thought  that 
she  was  a  privateer. 

"  If  so,  she  must  be  armed,"  said  I.  "  We  will  keep 
in  her  wake,  and  as  in  a  !?hort  time  she  will  not  have 
steerage-way,  she  will  be  unable  to  bring  her  guns  to 
bear  on  us." 

The  men  were  all  highly  delighted  with  our  proposal. 
They  must  have  anticipated  some  such  chance  when 
they  smuggled  the  arms  into  the  boat. 

Ned  Dawlish  took  another  look  at  the  chase. 

"  She's  a  French  craft,  and  a  privateer,  I'll  bet  any 
money,"  he  exclaimed,  sitting  down  again  to  his  oar. 

The  crew  now  gave  way  with  a  will.  The  sooner  we 
were  up  to  her  the  better,  because,  of  course,  we  knew 
that  we  must  by  this  time  be  seen,  and  our  intentions 
suspected. 

"  She  carries  three,  or  may-be  four  guns  on  a  side," 
observed  Ned,  looking  over  his  shoulder.  "  But  that's 
no  odds,  they  can't  reach  us." 

His  eagerness  and  courage  animated  the  rest  of  the 
crew.  How  many  men  the  chase  carried  we  could  not 
tell ;  indeed,  we  did  not  consider.  Not  one  of  us  enter- 
tained a  doubt  that  we  should  take  her.  Our  proposed 
plan  of  proceeding  was  very  simple.  We  were  to  pull 
up  alongside,  jump  on  board,  and,  cutlass  in  hand,  drive 
the  enemy  down  the  hatches,  or  into  the  sea  if  they  would 
not  yield. 

There  was  still  some  light  left,  and  as  we  drew  near 
it  appeared  to  me  that  the  decks  were  somewhat  crowd- 
ed. I  asked  Gray  what  he  thought.  He  agreed  with 
me.     Still  it  was  too  late  to  retreat.     We  had  not  got 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  201 

much  further  when  bright  flashes  of  flame  burst  from 
the  stern,  and,  what  we  Uttle  expected,  a  shower  of  bul- 
lets rattled  about  us. 

"  Give  way,  lads,  give  way  I  "  shouted  Ned  Dawlish. 
"  We'll  lick  the  Johnny  Crapeaus  in  spite  of  that." 

The  boat  dashed  on.  We  hoped  to  get  alongside  be- 
fore another  volley  was  fired.  In  vain.  Again  a  leaden 
shower  rattled  round  our  heads.  Once  more  Ned  Daw- 
lish shouted  loudly.  There  was  a  deep  groan,  and  he 
fell,  with  his  face  bent  down,  to  the  bottom  of  the  boat. 
Gray  seized  his  oar,  and  took  his  place.  He  had  been 
shot  in  the  back.  Speed  was  every  thing  to  us  now. 
There  must  be  a  considerable  number  of  small-arm  men 
on  board,  I  saw ;  but  even  then  it  never  occurred  to  me 
that  we  ought  to  turn  tail. 

On  we  went.  Still  the  enemy  kept  up  a  fire  at  us. 
Toby  Bluff  gave  a  sharp  cry.  A  bullet  had  hit  him, 
but  he  answered  me  when  I  spoke,  and  kept  his  seat. 
We  had  the  muskets  ready.  I  let  go  the  tiller  and 
seized  one.  Gray  and  Billy  Wise  and  two  other  men 
did  the  same,  and  let  fly  among  the  enemy. 

In  another  instant  we  were  under  the  schooner's 
quarter.  The  bowman  hooked  on.  Without  asking 
leave,  up  we  scrambled,  and,  cutlass  in  hand,  in  spite  of 
boarding-pikes  thrust  at  us,  and  pistols  flashed  in  our 
faces,  began  to  lay  heartily  about  us  among  the  very 
much  astonished  Fi'enchmen. 


202         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

If  the  Frenchmen  were  very  much  astonished  at 
finding  us  among  them,  we  were  not  the  less  so  on  dis- 
covering the  number  of  our  opponents.  Besides  the 
cr:w,  we  found  ourselves  engaged  with  thirty  or  forty 
soldiers ;  but  had  there  been  more,  it  would  have  been 
the  better  for  us,  for  so  crowded  were  the  schooner's 
decks,  that  they  impeded  each  other's  movements.  By 
the  suddenness  of  our  rush,  we  had  gained  the  after 
part  of  the  vessel,  and  had  killed  or  wounded  half  a 
dozen  of  the  enemy  before  they  knew  exactly  what  to 
do.  The  bodies  of  these  men  served  as  a  sort  of  ram- 
part, while  the  bowman  of  our  boat,  having  secured 
her,  climbed  up  the  side  to  our  support,  thus  allowing 
us  a  few  seconds  to  look  about.  In  the  centre  of  a 
group  of  vociferating,  gesticulating,  grimace-making 
Frenchmen,  some  armed  with  nTuskets,  others  with 
swords  and  cutlasses,  and  others  pistols  and  boarding- 
pikes,  stood  a  tall,  gaunt,  soldier  officer,  eyeing  us  very 
sternly,  and  tugging  hard  to  get  a  sword  out  of  a  long 
scabbard,  while  he  kept  screaming  to  his  men,  as  I  un- 
derstood, to  annihilate  the  dogs  of  Englishmen,  and 
to  kick  them  into  the  sea.  But  though  he  kept  shout- 
ing louder  and  louder,  till  his  cries  resembled  the 
rabid  howls  of  a  wild  beast,  his  soldiers  found  that 
though  it  might  be  easy  to  order  them  to  kick  five  stout 
British  beamen   overboard,  and  two   rather  precocious 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  203 

mid:^hipmen,  it  was  not  quite  as  easy  for  them  to  obey. 
I  saw,  too,  that  our  only  chance  of  success  was  to  push 
on  without  further  delay.  Had  Mr.  Johnson  been  with 
us,  I  sliould  have  felt  less  doubt  as  to  the  result  of  our 
exploit. 

"  On,  my  lads ! "  I  shouted,  "  we  must  di"ive  these 
Frenchmen  off  the  deck." 

Gray  echoed  my  words,  as  did  another  faint  voice, 
and  I  found  that  Toby  Bluff,  in  spite  of  his  wound,  had 
climbed  on  board  the  schooner,  and  was  ready  to  do 
battle  by  my  side.  On  we  all  pushed.  A  sturdy 
French  seaman,  on  my  left,  raised  his  cutlass,  while  I 
was  engaged  with  another  on  my  right.  I  could  just 
see,  out  of  tlie  corner  of  my  left  eye,  his  weapon  de- 
scending, and  fully  believed  that  my  last  moment  had 
come,  for  it  was  impossible  to  ward  it  off.  Before,  how- 
ever, the  cutlass  reached  my  head,  there  was  the  re|<ort 
of  a  pistol  close  to  my  ear,  and  my  enemy  tumbled 
over  dead  on  the  deck.  Toby  had  saved  my  life,  just 
as  I  had  before  saved  the  boatswain's.  We  continued 
cutting  and  slashing  away  so  furiously,  that  the  French- 
men no  longer  attempted  to  contend  against  us.  Jumping 
aside  like  a  troop  of  monkeys,  as  we  got  among  them, 
they  tumbled  over  each  other  down  the  hatchways,  the 
old  officer  with  them ;  whether  he  went  of  his  own  ac- 
cord, or  could  not  help  it,  I  was  unable  to  tell.  All  I 
know  is,  that  he  disappeared  with  most  of  his  army,  the 
remainder  of  whom  lay  sprawling  on  deck  or  clinging  to 
the  bowsprit,  while  some  of  the  crew  had  run  up  the 
rigging,  and  others  had  tumbled  into  the  hold  with  the 
soldiers.     Over  these  latter  we  took  the  liberty  of  clap- 


204         MARSIADUKE   MERRY,   THE    31IDSHIPMAN. 

ping  the  hatches,  while  Billy  Wise  did  the  wisest  thing 
-lie  had  been  guilty  of  for  a  long  time  ;  he  pointed  his 
musket  at  the  men  aloft,  and  intimated  that  he  would 
ehoot  the  first  who  attempted  to  descend.  Some  of 
them  had  pistols,  but  they  had  fortunately  already  fired 
them  at  us,  and  they  were  afraid  of  throwing  them  at 
our  heads,  lest  Billy  should  put  his  threat  into  execu- 
tion. His  adventure  with  the  sea  monster  had  evident- 
ly roused  his  wits,  for  he  had  besides  this  done  good 
service  in  boarding,  and  several  of  the  foe  owed  their 
fall  to  his  sturdy  arm.  In  less  than  five  minutes  from 
the  time  we  sprang  on  board,  Gi'ay  and  I  were  shaking 
hands,  as  we  stood  on  the  hatch,  with  the  Frenchmen 
below  us. 

"  I  hope,  though,  that  the  Monsieurs  won't  blow  up 
the  ship,"  he  observed  ;  "  they  must  begin  to  feel  heartily 
ashamed  of  the  way  they  have  allowed  us  to  take  her 
from  them." 

"  No  fear  of  it ;  they  are  not  the  fellows  for  that,"  I  an- 
swered :  "but  it  is  just  possible  that  they  may  attempt 
to  take  her  back  again,  so  we  must  keep  a  very  bright 
look-out  to  prevent  them." 

Gray  agreed  with  me. 

"  I  wish  that  I  could  talk  to  them,  though,"  he  re- 
marked ;  "  I  don't  suppose  that  one  of  our  party  knows 
a  word  of  French." 

"  No  ;  we  must  learn,  however,  on  the  first  opportu- 
nity," said  I.  "  It  would  be  very  convenient,  and  very 
likely  useful.  If  the  captain  had  not  known  it,  we 
should  probably  had  been  caught  by  the  enemy's  fleet 
when  we  "ot  amonjr  them." 


MAKMADTTKE   MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         205 

The  puzzle  was  now  to  settle  how  to  manage  with 
these  prisoners.  As  we  had  only  seven  effectives,  and 
they  had  more  than  forty,  it  was  no  slight  task.  Billy 
Wise,  touching  his  hat,  suggested  that  we  should  shoot 
them,  or  send  them  overboard  with  round  shots  at  their 
heels,  to  swim  ashore  if  they  could;  but  as  that  mode 
of  proceeding  was  somewhat  contrary  to  the  customs  of 
civilized  warfare,  we  declined  to  adopt  it,  though  un- 
doubtedly it  would  have  solved  our  difficulties.  "We 
ultimately  agreed  that  our  best  plan  would  be  to  get 
hold  of  all  tliose  on  deck,  and  to  lash  their  hands  behind 
them,  and  then  to  summon  a  few  at  a  time  of  those  be- 
low to  be  treated  in  the  same  way.  We  soon  had  all 
those  above  deck  secured.  It  seemed  extraordinary 
that  men  should  submit  in  so  abject  a  manner  to  a  party 
of  men  and  boys.  They  appeared,  indeed,  entirely  to 
have  lost  their  wits.  It  shows  what  boldness  and  au- 
dacity will  accomplish.  However,  it  might  have  been 
the  other  way,  and  we  might  all  have  been  knocked  on 
the  head,  or  tumbled  down  as  prisoners  into  the  French- 
man's hold.  Having  accomplished  this,  we  sent  a  hand 
to  the  helm,  trimmed  sails,  though  there  was  not  much 
wind  to  fill  them,  and  steered  in  the  direction  in  which 
we  hoped  to  fall  in  with  the  frigate.  I  must  own  that 
it  was  not  till  then  that  we  thought  of  poor  Ned  Dawlish. 
We  drew  the  boat  alongside,  and  had  him  lifted  on 
deck.  We  had  some  faint  hopes  that,  though  he  lay  so 
still,  he  might  be  alive,  but  his  glazed  eyes  and  stiffened 
limbs  too  plainly  told  us  that  his  last  fight  was  over, 
and  that  we  should  hear  his  cheery  voice  and  hearty 
laugh  no  more.  We  then  turned  our  attention  to  Toby 
18 


206         MARMADtKE   MERRV,    THE    MIDSHIPMAW. 

Bluff.  He  had  shown  himself  a  true  hero,  for  though 
his  wound  must  have  given  him  intense  pain,  he  had 
not  given  utterance  to  a  comphiint  or  a  single  groan, 
but  hud  endeavored  to  work  away  as  if  nothing  was  the 
matter  with  him.  I  had  observed  a  good  deal  of  blood 
about  his  dress,  but  it  was  not  till  I  came  to  examine 
him  that  I  found  it  had  flowed  from  his  own  veins,  and 
that  his  shirt  and  trowsers  on  one  side  were  literally 
saturated.  He  was  looking  deadly  pale,  and  would  in  a 
few  seconds  have  fainted,  had  not  Gray  and  I  set  to 
work  to  stanch  the  blood.  We  had  not  much  experi- 
ence as  surgeons,  but  we  succeeded  after  some  time. 

"  Thank  ye,  sir ;  thank  ye,"  said  Toby,  his  voice 
growing  weaker  every  moment;  "  I'll  be  up  and  at  'em 
again  directly.  I  wants  another  pistol,  please  sir.  I 
don't  know  what  tricks  the  Mounseers  may  be  up  to, 
and  they  shan't  hurt  you  if  I  can  help  it,  that  they 
shan't.     I  shot  one  on  'em,  and  I'll  shoot  another." 

By  this  time  his  voice  grew  indistinct,  and  we  began 
to  be  alarmed  about  him.  We  happily  had  some  rum 
and  water  left.  We  poured  it  down  his  throat,  and  it 
evidently  revived  him.  We  then  placed  him  under 
charge  of  the  helmsman,  and  continued  our  other  duties. 

"  Now,  Merry,  what's  to  be  done  ? "  asked  Gray, 
when  we  had  got  all  who  remained  on  deck  in  limbo. 
"  If  those  gentlemen  down  there  find  it's  hot,  which  J 
suspect  they  will  very  soon,  they  will  begin  to  grow 
obstreperous,  and  try  to  force  their  way  out.  When 
men  get  desperate,  they  are  somewhat  difficult  to  man- 
age." 

"  People  cannot  live  without  air,  I  fancy,  and  they 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         207 

cannot  have  much  of  it  in  the  hold  of  this  craft,  which 
must  naturally  have  a  pretty  strong  smell  of  bilge- 
M'ater,"  I  answered.  "We  mu^t  get  them  up  somehow 
or  other,  so  that  they  don't  overpower  us.  However, 
we  may  as  well  first  get  the  dead  men  overboard ;  they 
are  only  in  the  way  where  they  are." 

"  We  should  see  to  the  wounded  first,"  remarked 
Gray,  more  thoughtful  and  humane  than  I  was.  "  If 
we  could  get  below,  I  dare  say  that  we  should  find 
spirits  and  wine,  and  other  good  things  for  them." 

The  first  man  we  came  to  had  received  the  stroke  of 
a  British  cutlass  full  on  the  top  of  his  head,  and  did  not 
require  our  assistance,  so  he  was  pitclied  overboard. 
The  next  was  the  man  shot  dead  by  Toby,  so  his  body 
was  treated  in  the  same  way.  A  third  still  breathed, 
but  was  bleeding  profusely  from  a  deep  wound  in  his 
shoulder  and  a  shot  through  his  side.  His  case  seemed 
hopeless,  but  we  bound  up  his  hurts  and  placed  him 
against  the  bulwarks,  under  the  shade  of  the  sail.  Two 
more  we  came  to  were  dead,  and  two  badly  wotmded. 
When  we  had  done  what  we  could  for  them,  and  placed 
them  with  their  companions,  we  saw  a  fourth  man, 
whom  we  supposed  to  be  dead,  right  forward.  When 
we  lifted  him  up  his  limbs  did  not  seem  very  stiff,  nor 
could  we  see  any  wound  about  him.  Billy  Wise  was 
assisting  us. 

"  Why,  sirs,"  he  exclaimed,  "  the  chap  has  got  a  big 
knife  in  his  clutch,  and  those  eyes  of  his  ain't  dead 
men's  eyes,  but  may-be  it  will  be  just  as  well  to  pitch 
him  overboard ;  he  can't  do  no  harm  then,  anyhow." 

Billy  was  right,  for  as  he  spoke  I  saw  the  supposed 


208         MAKMADUKE    MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

dead  man's  eyes  twinkle.  Calling  another  of  our  people 
to  our  assistance,  we  snatched  the  knife  out  of  the  man's 
hand,  and  then  lifting  him  up,  we  seemed  as  if  about  to 
heave  him  overboard.  Indeed,  Billy  thought  that  was 
our  object.  The  Frenchman,  however,  did  not  approve 
of  this,  and  gave  strong  evidence  that  he  was  alive, 
by  struggling  violently,  and  uttering  with  extraordinary 
volubility  a  variety  of  expletives  on  the  matter.  When 
we  had  frightened  him  a  little,  we  lashed  his  arms 
behind  him,  and  placed  him  with  the  rest  of  the  prison- 
ers on  deck.  There  could  be  little  doubt  that  he  had 
shammed  dead,  and  kept  a  knife  ready,  with  the  hopes 
of  releasing  his  companions  while  we  were  off  our 
guard,  and  retaking  the  vessel.  For  this  we  could  not 
blame  him,  so  we  treated  him  with  the  same  care  as 
the  other  pi'isoners  —  only,  perhaps,  we  kept  rather  a 
sharper  watch  over  him,  lest  he  might  attempt  to  play 
us  some  other  trick. 

There  were  some  casks  of  water  on  the  deck,  so  we 
served  some  of  it  out  to  ourselves  and  our  prisoners  on 
deck  alike.  Most  of  the  Frenchmen  looked  as  if  they 
were  grateful,  but  the  sulky  countenances  of  some  of 
them  did  not  alter.  However,  that  made  no  difference  in 
our  behavior,  as  Gray  and  I  agreed  it  must  have  been 
terribly  annoying  to  their  feelings  to  find  themselves 
thus  hopelessly  prisoners. 

We  had  done  thus  much,  when  we  heard  thumping 
and  shouts  from  below.  This  was  what  we  expected, 
but  we  had  hoped  to  have  fallen  in  with  the  frigate 
before  it  became  absolutely  necessary  to  open  the 
hatches.     We  looked  round.     From  the  deck  she  was 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         209 

nowhere  to  be  seen,  so  charging  Gray  and  our  men  to 
watch  the  hatches — the  companion  and  fore-hatch,  as 
well  as  the  main  —  I  went  aloft  to  obtain  a  wider 
circle,  in  the  expectation  that  I  might  thus  discover 
her. 

Not  a  sail  was  in  sight.  The  low  island  with  its 
groves  of  palm  trees  lay  to  the  northward,  and  the  wide 
expanse  of  the  Caribbean  Sea  to  the  south.  I  scarcely 
knew  what  to  do.  I  sat  at  the  masthead  to  consider, 
but  was  speedily  aroused  by  a  shout  from  Gray. 

In  a  second,  as  the  Yankees  say,  like  greased  light- 
ning, I  slid  down  the  topmast  backstay  on  deck.  A 
Frenchman's  head  was  protruding  through  the  fore- 
hatchway,  he  having  forced  off  the  hatch,  and  Billy 
Wise,  who  had  been  stationed  there,  was  endeavoring 
to  drive  him  back  — not  an  easy  task,  as  others  below 
were  showing  a  boardmg-pike  at  him  for  the  purpose 
of  compelling  him  to  retreat.  Billy,  however,  stood 
his  ground,  and  was  working  away  with  his  elbow  to 
get  at  his  cutlass,  while  he  kept  his  musket  pointed  at 
the  man's  head. 

In  the  mean  time  others  were  thundering  away  at  the 
main  hatch,  and,  wliat  was  still  more  dangerous,  a  party 
had  evidently  cut  their  way  aft,  and  were  trying  to 
force  back  the  companion  hatch.  We  knew,  too,  tljat 
they  must  have  firearms,  so  that  we  were  altogether 
placed  in  a  very  difficult  position.  Tlie  fore  hatch  must 
first  be  secured.  I  was  running  to  help  Billy,  when  I  saw 
him  whip  out  his  cutlass,  and  before  I  could  stop  him, 
it  flash(^d  in  the  sun,  and  the  unfortunate  Frenchman's 
head  rolled  on  the  deck. 

18* 


210  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

"  There,  you  Johnny  Crapeaus,  if  any  of  you  likes 
it,  I'll  do  the  same  for  you,"  he  s^houted,  flourishing 
his  weapon. 

The  body  of  the  man  fell  below,  stopping  his  com- 
panions from  ascending,  and  though  they  might  not 
have  understood  the  words  in  which  Billy's  liberal  offer 
was  made,  they  must  have  caught  sight  of  .the  glittering 
cutlass  sweeping  over  the  hatchway,  and  hesitated  about 
placing  their  necks  within  its  influence. 

I  sprang  forward.  So  excited  was  Billy  that  he 
did  not  see  me,  and  very  nearly  treated  me  as  he  had 
threatened  to  do  the  Frenchmen  —  taking  me  for  one 
of  them. 

'*  Lauk,  Master  Merry,  if  I  had  a  done  it,"  he  ex- 
claimed, when  he  discovered  his  mistake. 

I  did  not  speak,  but  popping  on  the  hatch,  secured 
it  before  our  captives  could  make  a  rush  to  get  out. 
It  was  breathless  work,  it  may  be  believed  —  indeed, 
I  even  to  this  day  feel  almost  out  of  breath  when  I 
think  of  it.  Leaving  Billy  at  the  post  he  had  guarded 
so  well,  I  ran  back  to  the  companion  hatch,  inside  of 
which  we  could  hear  the  men  working  away  with  most 
disagreeable  vigor, 

"  Oh  dear  !  oh  dear  !  "  exclaimed  Gray  over  and  over 
again,  "  If  we  could  but  speak  French,  we  could  tell 
the  men  what  we  would  do  if  they  would  behave  them- 
selves." 

"  But,  as  we  cannot,  we  must  show  them  what  we 
will  do  if  they  don't,"  I  rejoined.  "  We  must  get  them 
on  deck  somehow  or  other,  for  if  we  keep  them  much 
longer  below  they  will  die,  I  am  afraid.  It  is  hot  up 
here  —  it  must  be  ten  times  worse  in  that  close  hold." 


MARMADTTKE   MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         211 

"  I'll  tell  you  then,"  he  answered.  "  We  must  keep 
our  loaded  pistols  in  our  hands,  and  get  up  one  at  a 
time  through  the  companion  hatchway.  If  more  than 
one  attempts  to  come,  we  must  shoot  him  ;  there's  no 
help  for  it.  It  will  be  a  long  process,  but  I  suppose 
those  who  first  come  will  tell  the  others  how  we  treat 
them,  and  they  will  be  content  to  wait." 

"  We  must  have  some  water,  then,  for  they  will  be 
terribly  thirsty,"  said  I.  "  And  we  must  have  a  good 
supply  of  lashings,  ready  to  secure  them." 

We  accordingly  unrove  all  the  running  rigging  that 
could  be  spared,  and  cut  it  into  lengths,  and  then  leaving 
Billy  Wise  as  sentry  at  his  former  post,  we  rolled  two 
water-casks  over  the  main  hatch,  adding  a  spare  sail 
and  spars,  so  that  there  was  little  danger  of  its  being 
forced.  We  all  then  collected  round  the  after  hatch. 
We  slipped  back  the  hatch  sufficiently  far  to  allow  of 
one  man  passing  through  at  a  time,  then,  holding  our 
pistols  so  that  those  below  might  see  them,  we  beckoned 
to  the  Frenchmen  to  come  up.  At  first,  from  having 
discovered  probably  the  way  that  Billy  Wise  had 
treated  their  countrymen,  they  were  unwilling  to  take 
advantage  of  our  invitation,  which  was  not  to  be  won- 
dered at.  I  ordered  the  men  to  take  care  lest  they 
might  fire  up  at  us,  for  I  suspected  some  treachery. 

"  Come  along,  mounseers,  come  along;  we  won't  hurt 
ye,"  said  Ned  Bambrick,  the  best  man  with  us  ;  indeed, 
there  was  not  a  better  in  the  ship,  though  certain  wild 
pranks  in  which  he  had  indulged  had  prevented  him 
from  becoming  a  petty  officer.  "  Come  along,  now,  we'll 
treat  ye  as  if  ye  was  all  sucking  babies." 


212  MARMADUKE    MERRT,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

Thoiish  the  Frenchmen  did  not  understand  the  words 
addressed  to  them,  the  tone  of  his  voice  somewhat  reas- 
sured them,  and  at  last  one  ventured  up.  "We  imme- 
diately seized  him  by  the  arms,  hauled  him  out,  and  shut 
to  the  hatch,  greatly  to  the  disa|)i)ointnient  of  those  who 
were  following.  The  Frenchman,  who  was  a  sailor,, 
looked  dreadfully  frightened,  and  began  to  struggle 
violently,  expecting  probably  that  we  were  going  to 
throw  him  overboard.  We  had,  however,  his  arms 
very  soon  lashed  behind  him,  and  we  then  gave  him 
water,  and  pointed  to  his  shipmates  sitting  quietly  round 
the  side.  He  was  once  more  satisfied,  and  we  then 
signed  to  him,  as  well  as  we  could,  that  he  was  to  tell 
his  companions  below  that  no  harm  would  happen  to 
them.  We  concluded  that  he  did  so,  for  after  he  had 
shouted  down  the  hatchway,  another  cautiously  lifted 
his  head  above  the  coaming.  lie  gave  a  cry  as  we 
seized  hold  of  him,  but  we  quickly  had  him  up,  and 
treated  like  the  other.  In  the  same  way  we  got  up  a 
dozen,  the  last  showing  clear  signs  of  having  suffered 
most.  At  length  a  nearly  bald  head  appeared,  with  a 
silver  plate  covering  part  of  it,  on  which  I  read  the 
word  "  Areole,"  and  then  the  high  narrow  forehead, 
gaunt  cheeks,  and  thin  body  of  the  old  colonel  slowly 
emerged  from  the  cabin.  He  looked  round  with  a  con- 
iijsed  expression  on  his  countenance,  as  if  not  very 
certain  what  had  happened ;  but  before  he  had  had 
much  tim<!  for  consideration,  Ned  Bambriek  politely 
took  him  by  the  hand,  and  helped  him  to  step  out  on 
deck.  When  he  found  himself  seized  to  be  pinioned,  he 
looked  very  indignant,  and  struggled  to  get  loose,  but 


MARIIADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  213 

we  had  the  ropes  round  his  arms  in  a  moment.  As  a 
con)pliment,  however,  we  secured  him  to  the  mainmast, 
with  a  heap  of  sail-cloth  to  sit  on.  He  made  so  many 
extraordinary  grimaces,  that  even  poor  Toby,  who  was 
sitting  opposite  to  him,  in  spite  of  his  suffering,  burst  into 
a  fit  of  laughter.  Gray  and  I  had,  however,  just  then  too 
much  to  do  to  laugh.  There  was  still  nearly  twenty 
men  below,  enough  to  overpower  us  and  to  release  their 
countrymen,  so  it  was  necessary  to  be  as  cautious  as  at 
first.  From  the  horrible  effluvium  which  came  rushing 
up  the  hatchway  each  time  the  hatch  was  slid  off,  we 
might  have  known  that  the  men  who  had  to  exist  in  it 
long  were  not  likely  to  be  very  difficult  to  manage.  In 
those  days  midshipmen,  at  all  events,  knew  nothing  of 
hydrogen  and  oxygen,  and  that  human  beings  could  not 
exist  without  a  certain  supply  of  the  latter.  A  few 
more  climbed  slowly  up.  We  thought  that  they  were 
shamming,  and  treated  them  like  the  rest.  At  last  no 
more  appeared. 

"  What  can  they  be  about  ?  "  I  asked  of  Gray.  Then 
we  heard  some  groans. 

"  What  shall  we  do  ?  "  said  Gray. 

"  I'll  tell  you,  sir,  I'll  go  below  and  find  out,"  ex- 
claimed Ned  Bambrick. 

It  was  the  only  way  of  solving  the  difficulty.  We 
put  on  the  companion,  and  lifted  off  the  main  hatch. 
We  were  nearly  knocked  down  with  the  abominable 
odor  which  arose  as  we  did  so.  Notwithstanding  this, 
Ned  sprang  down  into  the  hold.  He  groped  about  for 
half  a  minute,  when  he  sang  out,  "  Send  a  whip  down 
and  get  these  fellows  on  deck,  or  they'll  be  dead 
altogether." 


214         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

"We  lowered  the  end  of  a  rope,  and  ran  up  the  men 
one  after  another,  a3  he  made  them  fast  to  it.  They 
were  in  a  very  exhausted  condition  ;  but  the  fresh  air, 
though  it  was  still  very  hot,  and  the  water  we  poured 
down  their  throats,  soon  revived  them,  and  we  had  to 
lash  their  arms  behind  them,  as  we  had  the  others. 
During  this  time  Billy  Wise  volunteered  to  go  down 
and  assist  Ned.  We  had  hoisted  up  ten  or  a  dozen 
when  they  both  declared  that  they  could  find  no  more, 
so  we  took  all  the  hatches  off  to  ventilate  the  vessel,  not 
forgetting  to  throw  ovei'board  the  corpse  of  the  poor 
fellow  whose  head  Billy's  cutlass  had  cut  off.  Billy 
vTanted  to  keep  the  head  as  a  trophy,  but  we  did  not 
approve  of  that,  and  made  him  pitch  it  after  the  body. 

"  Well,  now  I  hope  you'll  find  each  other,"  observed 
Billy,  with  perfect  gravity,  as  he  did  so. 

It  had  certainly  a  very  odd  appearance  to  see  our 
forty  prisoners  arranged  round  the  vessel,  with  the 
colonel  at  the  mainmast  and  the  man  we  supposed  to  be 
the  master  at  the  foremast.  We  had,  however,  to  wait 
on  them,  and  to  carry  them  water  and  food.  Gray  and 
I  agreed  that,  though  it  was  a  very  honorable  thing  to 
command  a  ship,  we  should  be  very  glad  to  be  relieved 
of  the  honor.  Since  we  captured  the  vessel  we  had  not 
had  a  moment  to  take  any  food.  Hunger  made  us  rather 
inclined  to  despond.  We,  however  found  out  what  was 
the  matter  with  us,  and  sent  Billy  Wise  down  into  tiie 
cabin  to  forage.  He  soon  returned  with  some  biscuit 
and  white  cheese,  and  dried  plums  and  raisins,  and  a 
few  bottles  of  claret,  but  there  was  no  honest  cold  beef 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         215 

It's  no  wonder  we  licked  the  Johnny  Crapeaus  when 
that's  the  stuff  they  feeds  on,"  observed  Ned  Bambrick, 
turning  over  the  food  with  a  look  of  contempt. 

However,  he  and  the  rest  stowed  away  no  small 
amount  of  the  comestibles,  notwithstanding  his  contempt 
for  them.  When,  however,  he  came  to  the  liquid,  toss- 
ing off  the  contents  of  a  bottle,  he  made  a  wofully  wry 
face,  and  exclaimed,  — 

"  Billy,  my  boy,  we  must  have  a  full  cask  of  this  on 
deck  —  a  chap  must  drink  a  bucket  or  two  before  he 
finds  out  he  has  taken  any  thing.  It's  vinegar  and  water, 
to  my  mind." 

Grayand  I  took  a  few  glasses  of  the  wine.  It  did 
not  taste  so  bad,  especially  in  that  hot  weather ;  but  we 
fancied  that  there  was  but  little  strength  in  it.  As  the 
men  required  refreshment,  we  did  not  object  to  their 
taking  as  much  as  they  fancied.  Persuaded  by  Bam- 
brick, Billy  went  below,  and  soon  sung  out  that  he  had 
found  a  cask  of  the  same  stuff  as  that  in  the  bottles.  A 
whip  was  sent  below.  A  cask  was  hoisted  on  deck,  and 
found  to  contain  what  was  undoubtedly  claret.  When 
the  old  colonel  saw  it,  he  shrieked  out  something  about 
"  Monsieur  le  Gouverneur." 

"  Well,  Mounzeer  Governor  !  here's  to  your  health, 
then,"  said  Bambrick,  draining  off  a  mug-full  of  the 
claret,  which  had  been  quickly  tapped.  "  Tliis  is  better 
tipple  than  the  other.  Here,  old  boy,  you  shall  have  a 
glass,  to  see  if  we  can't  put  a  smile  into  that  ugly  mug 
of  yours." 

The  old  soldier  seemed  not  at  all  to  object  to  the 
wine  which  Ned  poured  down  his  throat,  and  he  smacked 


216  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

his  lips  as  if  he  would  like  some  more.  Fortunately, 
Gray  and  I  now  tasted  the  claret,  and  though  we  were 
no  great  judges  of  wine,  we  knew  enough  to  ascertain 
that  it  was  remarkably  fine  and  strong  ;  and,  moreover, 
we  discovered,  by  the  wa}--  Ned  and  Billy  and  the  rest 
began  to  talk,  that  they  had  had  enough,  if  not  too  much 
of  it.  already. 

"■  It  was  unwise  of  us  to  let  them  have  any  at  all," 
observed  Gray.  "  How  we  shall  keep  them  from  it  I 
do  not  know ;  and  if  they  get  drunk,  as  they  certainly 
will  if  they  have  much  more,  the  chances  are  the  French- 
men will  take  the  vessel  from  us." 

"  We  must  knock  the  head  in,"  I  answered.  "  It  is 
our  only  security.  I  know  from  experience,  that  if  sea- 
men can  by  any  means  get  hold  of  liquor,  they  will  do 
so  at  all  risks,  and  that  they  are  in  no  way  particular 
what  it  is." 

"  It  will  be  better  to  serve  it  out  to  the  prisoners," 
said  Gray.  "  If  we  appeal  to  these  men's  kind  feelings 
they  will  do  it,  and  if  there  is  more  than  enough  we 
must  leave  the  spile  out." 

Bambrick  and  Billy,  and  the  other  men,  were  per- 
fectly ready  to  do  as  we  proposed.  When  the  old 
colonel  saw  what  we  were  doing  he  again  shrieked  out 
about  the  governor,  but  this  did  not  prevent  the  men 
from  serving  out  the  wine.  It  only  made  Bambrick 
turn  round  and  say,  — 

"  All  right,  Mr.  Governor,  you  shall  have  some  more, 
old  boy." 

He  took  care,  at  all  events,  that  the  old  gentleman 
should  have  enough,  for  he  gave  him  the  greater  portion 
of  the  contents  of  a  jug. 


-     MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         217 

We  waited  till  nearly  all  the  men  were  served,  and 
then  Gray  pulled  out  the  spile,  and  a  good  deal  ran  out. 
He  had  to  put  it  in  before  the  men  returned  for  their 
last  supply.  Still,  for  fear  that  too  much  might  remain, 
he  kicked  away  the  block  of  wood  which  kept  it  in  its 
place,  and  then  rolling  over  the  cask,  it  was  emptied  of 
its  remaining  contents.  I  must  do  our  fellows  the  justice 
to  say  that  they  treated  the  prisoners  as  they  would  like 
to  have  been  treated  themselves,  and  gave  them  as 
much  wine  as  they  would  drink.  The  only  difference 
was  that  they  would  have  drunk  five  times  as  much  as 
the  Frenchmen,  and  not  have  been  the  worse  for  it. 

They  were  rather  inclined  to  grumble  when  they 
found  that  there  was  no  more.  I  saw  that  it  was  time 
to  exert  my  authority. 

"  You've  done  very  well,  lads,"  I  exclaimed.  "  But 
suppose  you  were  all  to  get  drunk,  what  would  the 
Frenchmen  do  with  us,  I  should  like  to  know.  Shall  I 
tell  you  ?  They  would  manage  to  wriggle  themselves 
free,  and  heave  us  all  overboard.  If  we  don't  want  to 
disgrace  ourselves,  let  us  keep  what  we've  got.  Not 
another  drop  of  liquor  does  any  one  have  aboard  here 
till  we  fall  in  with  the  frigate." 

My  speech  appeared  to  have  some  effect,  and  I  took 
care  to  give  all  hands  ample  employment,  that  they 
might  not  think  of  the  liquor.  As  it  was,  by  the  springy 
way  in  which  they  moved  about  the  deck,  and  the 
harangues  uttered  by  Ned  Bambrick  on  every  trivial 
occasion,  I  saw  that  they  had  already  had  quite  enough 
for  our  safety.  Night  was  now  approaching,  but  still 
19 


218         MARMADrKE    MERRT,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

the  frigate  was  nowhere  to  be  seen.  Gray  went  aloft, 
and  took  an  anxious  look  round. 

"  iS'ot  a  sign  of  her,"  he  said,  as  he  returned  on 
deck. 

Darkness  came  on.  All  hands  were  naturally  feel- 
ing very  sleepy,  but  with  so  many  prisoners  to  guard, 
even  though  their  hands  were  lashed  behind  thera,  it 
was  necessary  for  us  to  keep  awake.  However,  Gray 
and  I  agreed  that  —  if  we  were  rested  and  brisk  we 
could  do  more  than  if  we  were  wora  out  —  it  would  be 
best  for  us  to  take  a  little  sleep  at  intervals,  and  allow 
one  or  two  of  the  men  to  sleep  at  the  same  time.  One 
man  was  at  the  helm,  and  two  others  kept  walking  up 
and  down  the  deck,  with  pistols  in  their  hands  and  cut- 
lasses ready  for  use.  Gray  lay  down  first.  He  slept 
so  soundly  that  I  did  not  like  to  call  him.  The  night 
was  dark,  but  the  prisoners  were  quiet,  and  there  was 
but  little  wind  ;  even  that  little  had  died  away.  I  did  not 
altogether  like  the  look  of  the  weather.  The  heat  was 
very  great,  and  though  it  was  calm  then,  I  knew  that 
it  was  not  far  off  the  hurricane  season,  and  I  thought  if 
we  were  to  be  caught  in  a  hurricane  how  greatly  our 
difficulties  would  be  increased,  even  if  we  were  not  lost 
altogether.  After  a  time  Gray  started  up  of  his  own 
accord.  The  instant  I  lay  down  on  the  after  part  of  the 
deck,  I  was  asleep.  It,  appeared  to  me  that  I  had 
scarcely  closed  my  eyes,  when  I  was  aroused  by  shouts 
and  cries.  I  started  up,  fully  persuaded  that  the  French- 
men were  loose  and  upon  us.  The  sounds  appeared  to 
come  from  the  hold.     As  I  ran  to  the  main  hatchway  I 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  219 

heard  a  noise  of  scuffling  and  struggling,  and  a  foice 
shouting,  "  Oh,  Master  Merry,  Master  Gray,  the  ghost- 
eses  have  got  hold  of  me,  the  ghosteses  have  got  hold 
of  me."  Looking  into  the  hold,  I  saw,  by  the  light  of 
a  lanthorn,  Billy  Wise  struggling  with  two  Frenchmen, 
while,  forward.  Gray  and  one  of  our  men  were,  I  dis- 
covered rather  by  my  ears  than  by  sight,  engaged  with 
another  of  the  prisoners,  who  had  apparently  worked 
himself  loose.  Ned  Bambrick  had  started  to  his  feet 
at  the  moment  that  I  did.  Together  we  leaped  down 
below.  We  were  not  an  instant  too  soon.  Billy  was 
almost  overpowered,  and  as  there  were  some  cutlasses  at 
hand,  the  Frenchmen  might  have  armed  themselves  and 
killed  us  while  we  were  asleep.  Bambrick  knocked  one 
over  with  a  blow  of  his  fist,  and  the  other  was  easily 
managed.  Where  they  had  come  from  we  could  not 
tell.  They  were  none  of  those  who  had  appeared  on 
deck,  and  must  have  been  concealed  very  cleverly  when 
we  sent  down  to  search  below.  It  was  a  lesson  to  Gray 
and  me  ever  after  to  go  and  look  ourselves  when  a  search 
of  importance  was  to  be  made.  While  Bambrick  and 
Billy  held  the  men  down,  I  ran  for  some  rope,  with 
which  we  made  them  fast  pretty  tightly  to  some  stan- 
chions between  decks.  Gray  and  his  companion  had 
in  the  mean  time  re-secured  the  prisoner  who  had  man- 
aged nearly  to  releasp  himself,  and  we  then  made  a 
more  careful  search  than  before  through  every  part  of 
the  vessel.  We  had  pretty  well  satisfied  ourselves  that 
no  one  else  was  stowed  away  below,  when  a  loud  cry, 
and  finding  the  vessel  suddenly  heeling  over,  made  us 
spring  on  deck.     A  squall  had  struck  her.     I  did  not 


220         MAEMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

expect  to  see  her  recover  herself.  Every  thing  was  flying 
away ;  yards  were  cracking,  the  sails  in  shreds  flutter- 
ing in  the  gale ;  the  masts  were  bending  as  if  about  to 
go  over  the  side  ;  blocks  were  falling  from  aloft ;  roj-es 
slashing  and  whipping  furiously ;  the  water  was  rushing 
in  through  the  lee  scuppers  half  up  the  deck,  and  near- 
ly drowning  the  unfortunate  Frenchmen  sitting  there, 
who  were  shrieking  out  in  dismay,  believing  that  their 
last  moments  had  come.  Ned  Bambrick  sprang  aft  and 
put  up  the  helm  :  the  after  canvas  was  chiefly  off  her ; 
she  had  gathered  way,  and  now  answering  her  helm, 
she  flew  before  it.  Never  had  I  been  in  such  a  scene 
of  confusion,  increased  by  the  roaring  of  the  wind,  the 
shrieks  of  the  prisoners,  the  rattling  of  the  blocks  and 
ropes,  the  cracking  of  spars,  and  the  loud  slush  of  the 
water  as  it  rushed  about  the .  deck.  What  had  become 
of  Gray  I  could  not  tell.  It  was  too  dark  now  to  dis- 
tinguish any  one.  I  called:  he  did  not  answer.  A 
horrid  feeling  seized  me.  He  must  have  been  knocked 
overboard.  I  called  again  in  despair.  At  that  moment 
it  would  have  been  a  matter  of  indiflference  to  me  if  the 
Frenchmen  had  risen  and  taken  the  vessel  from  us.  A 
faint  voice  answered  me.  It  was  that  of  Toby  Bluflf. 
"  He  was  there,  sir,  but  just  now." 

I  had  been  standing  on  the  weather  side.  I  slid 
down  to  leeward,  for  I  saw  some  one  there.  I  grasped 
hold  of  the  person,  and  hauled  him  up.  It  was  Gray. 
When  the  vessel  was  first  struck,  he  had  been  knocked 
over  by  the  tiller,  which  he  must  have  just  taken,  be- 
lieving that  there  was  to  be  but  a  slight  breeze.  He 
had  been  half  stunned  and  half  drowned.    He  speedily, 


MARMADUKE    MEKRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  221 

however,  to  my  great  joy,  recovered.  I  now  mustered 
all  hands,  most  of  whom  had  been  sent  sprawling  in 
among  the  Frenchmen,  who  kicked  and  bit  at  them, 
they  declared,  but  which  Gray  and  I  did  not  believe  to 
be  the  fact.  We  now  set  to  work  to  get  the  ship  to 
rights.  We  squared  yards  as  well  as  we  could,  furled 
the  remnant  of  the  canvas,  and  set  a  close-reefed  fore- 
topsail,  under  which  the  little  vessel  ran  on  very  com- 
fortably. Our  chief  concern  was,  that  we  were,  as  we 
thought,  running  away  from  the  frigate.  None  of  us 
felt  disposed  to  go  to  sleep  again,  so  we  kept  a  bright 
look-out,  not  knowing  whether  we  might  not  be  hurry- 
ing directly  oh  to  a  coral  reef,  or  another  island.  The 
wind,  however,  soon  began  to  go  down,  and  I  was  pro- 
posing to  Gray  to  haul  up  again,  when  Billy  Wise,  who 
was  stationed  forward,  sung  out,  — 

"Starboard  —  starboard  the  helm  —  or  we  shall  run 
down  the  frigate  !  " 

Sure  enough,  in  half  a  minute,  we  were  gliding  by 
under  her  stern.     A  voice  from  the  deck  hailed  us. 

"  What  schooner  is  that  ?  " 

"  The  ,  I  don't  know  her  name  —  prize  to  the 

second  cutter  of  His  Majesty's  frigate  Doris,"  I  an- 
swered. "  We've  a  heap  of  prisoners,  and  I  don't  know 
what  to  do  with  them  ! " 

"  Heave  to,  and  we  will  send  a  boat  on  board,"  was 
shouted  in  return. 

Day  was  just  breaking,  and  the  increasing  light  en- 
abled us  to  manage  better  than  Ave  could  otherwise  have 
done.     We  had  now  less  fear  of  our  enemies  breaking 
loose,  so  all  hands  were  able  to  assist  in  getting  some 
19* 


222         MARMADrKE    MERRT,    THE    MIDSHIPJIAN. 

after  sail  on  the  vessel,  and  bringing  her  up  to  the 
wind. 

"  Now  we  shall  catch  it  for  all  this,"  said  Gray,  as 
we  saw  the  boat  pulling  toward  us  from  the  frigate. 

"  I  hope  not,"  said  I.  "  At  all  events,  we  must  make 
the  best  of  it.  There's  Mr.  Fitzgerald  in  the  boat. 
We'll  get  him  to  stand  our  friend." 

"  Well,  boys,  this  is  a  nate  piece  of  work  you've 
been  after  doing  now  !  "  remarked  our  handsome  second 
lieutenant,  as  he  surveyed  the  deck.  "  You  don't  mean 
to  say  that  you  captured  all  these  heroes  ?  " 

"  Every  one  of  them,  sir,"  said  Gray,  with  perfect 
seriousness.     "  I  hope  the  captain  won't  be  angry." 

"  There's  no  saying.  However,  we'll  see,"  he  an- 
swei'ed  with  a  smile. 

We  now  made  more  sail,  and  ran  in  close  under  the 
lee  of  the  frigate. 

Perigal  was  sent  on  board  the  schooner  to  take  charge 
of  her,  and  the  prisoners  were  transferred  to  the  deck 
of  the  frigate,  where  the  captain  and  most  of  the  officers 
were  assembled.  Mr.  Johnson  met  me.  He  had  just 
time  to  say,  — 

"  I  congratulate  you,  Mr.  Merry.  You've  done  well. 
You  are  worthy  of  my  teaching  !  "  when  the  prisoners 
were  summoned  aft.    • 

We  had  given  the  old  colonel  his  sword,  that  he 
might  present  it  in  due  form.  He  marched  aft  at  the 
head  of  his  men,  and  presented  it  to  Captain  Collyer 
with  a  profound  bow. 

The  captJiin  then  addressed  him.  I  was  afterwards 
told  what  he  said.     It  was,  — 


"Mais  oVst  ce  terrible  mal  de  mer." 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         223 

"  I  am  surprised,  Monsieur,  that  you,  an  experienced 
soldier,  who  have  seen  much  service,  should  allow  your- 
self and  your  men  to  be  captured  by  a  single  boat's 
crew,  and  two  midshipmen." 

"  Ma  foi !  "  exclaimed  the  colonel,  with  an  inimitable 
shrug  of  his  shoulders,  and  an  indescribable  expression 
of  countenance,  indicative  of  intense  disgust.  "  I  am 
a  brave  man ;  I  fear  nothing  —  mais  c'est  ce  terrible 
mal  de  mer  !  "  (this  terrible  sea-sickness.) 

I  do  not  know  what  Captain  Collyer  said  in  return, 
but  I  fancy  he  did  not  pay  the  colonel  any  compliments 
on  his  gallantry.*  Gray  and  I  were  very  agreeably 
surprised  when,  instead  of  being  reprimanded  for  what 
we  had  done,  the  captain  praised  us  very  much  for  the 
daring  way  in  which  we  had  taken  the  schooner.  Mr. 
Fitzgerald  had  told  him  all  the  particulars  beforehand. 
Somebody,  however,  was  to  blame  for  having  taken  the 
arms  in  the  boat.  All  the  men,  however,  declared  that 
they  knew  nothing  about  it,  but  that  the  getting  them 
in  had  been  entirely  managed  by  Ned  Dawlish,  who, 
being  dead,  could  say  nothing  in  his  defence,  and  was 
therefore  found  guilty.  The  truth  was,  that  the  captain 
was  very  well  pleased  at  what  had  been  done,  and  was 
ready  to  overlook  the  disobedience  of  orders  of  which 
the  men  had  been  guilty. 

Gray  and  I  were  in  high  feather.  "We  dined  that 
day  with  the  captain,  who  complimented  us  on  our  ex- 
ploit, and  made  us  give  him  all  the  particulars.     He 

*  I  only  hope  that  Frenchmen,  on  other  occasions,  may  have 
their  valor  cooled  down  to  zero  by  that  terrible  sea-sickness. 


224         MARMADIJKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

told  US  that  the  carpenter,  who  had  been  sent  on  board 
to  survey  the  schooner,  had  reported  favorably  of  her, 
and  that  he  proposed  to  employ  her  as  a  tender,  Avhile 
the  frigate  was  refitting  at  Port  Royal. 

As  it  was  necessary  to  get  rid  of  our  prisoners,  a 
course  was  steered  at  once  for  Jamaica,  so  that  we 
might  land  them  there.  We  found,  after  a  little  time, 
that  the  French  Colonel  was  not  a  bad  old  fellow.  I 
really  believe  that  he  was  as  brave  as  most  men,  and 
that  he  had  spoken  the  truth  when  he  said  that  "  le  mal 
de  mer  had  overcome  him."  Probably  most  of  his  men 
were  in  the  same  condition.  Gray  and  I  did  not  forget 
our  resolution  to  try  and  learn  French,  and  as  one  of 
the  mates,  Duncan  M'Allister,  could  speak  a  little,  we 
begged  him  to  ask  the  old  colonel  if  he  would  teach  us. 
He  replied  that  he  would  do  so  gladly,  and  would  teach 
any  one  else  who  wished  to  learn.  Indeed  our  proposal 
was  ultimately  of  great  service  to  him,  for  when  he  got 
on  shore,  and  was  admitted  as  a  prisoner  on  his  parole, 
he  gained  a  very  comfortable  livelihood  by  teaching 
French.  I  afterwards  heard  that,  when  the  war  was 
over,  he  declined  going  back  to  La  Belle  France,  and 
settled  among  his  friends  the  English.  It  is  just  pos- 
sible, that  the  way  in  which  he  had  allowed  himself  and 
his  thirty  men  to  be  taken  by  us  had  something  to  do 
with  this  decision. 

Tlie  colonel's  name  was,  I  remember,  Paincliaud, 
which  is  translated  Hotbread,  —  a  funny  name,  which  I 
never  met  elsewdiere.  We  invited  him  into  the  berth 
to  give  his  lessons,  but  we  had  to  clear  away  several 
boxes  and  hampers  to  afford   him   space  to  stretch  his 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  225 

legs  under  the  table.  As  he  sat  on  the  narrow  locker 
with  his  bald  head  touching  the  deck  above,  his  elbows 
resting  on  the  table,  and  his  long  legs  stretched  out  to 
the  other  side  of  the  berth,  while  we  youngsters  in  every 
variety  of  attitude  grouped  ourselves  round  him,  he 
looked  like  some  antiquated  Gulliver  among  a  party  of 
rather  overgrown  Liliputians.  At  first  he  had  a  con- 
siderable number  of  pupils,  but  it  was  very  evident  that 
they  assembled  more  for  the  sake  of  trying  if  any  fun 
could  be  found,  than  with  any  serious  intention  of  learn- 
ing French.  "We  had  forgotten  when  he  had  made  our 
proposal  that  books  would  be  necessary  to  enable  us  to 
make  any  progress  in  the  language,  but  not  a  French 
work  of  any  sort  was  to  be  procured  on  board,  still  less 
a  grammar.  At  length  the  colonel  produced  two  from 
his  valise.  They  were,  I  have  reason  to  believe,  not 
such  as  would  have  tended  to  our  edification ;  but  hap- 
pily, in  the  then  state  of  our  knowledge  of  the  language 
in  which  they  were  written,  they  were  not  likely  to  hurt 
our  morals.  As  we  had  no  grammar,  the  colonel  made 
us  understand  that  he  wanted  paper  and  pens  and  ink ; 
and  then  he  wrote  out  words,  and  intimated  to  us  that 
we  were  to  repeat  them  after  him.  He  would  take  the 
hand  of  one  of  his  pupils  and  exclaim  "  main"  and 
make  each  of  us  repeat  it  after  him.  Then  he  would 
seize  an  ear  and  cry  out  "  oreille,"  and  pretty  hard 
he  pinched  too.  If  any  of  us  cried  out,  it  evidently 
afforded  him  infinite  amusement.  We,  of  course,  gave 
him  the  name  which  he  always  afterwards  kept,  of 
Colonel  Pinchhai'd.  When  any  of  his  pupils  pronounced 
the  word  wrongly,  it  was  highly  amusing  to  watch  the 


226         MARMADUKE   MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

wonderful  way  in  which  his  shoulders  went  up  and  his 
head  sunk  down  between  them.  No  English  pair  of 
shoulders  could  have  behaved  in  the  same  way;  nor 
could  certainly  any  Englisli  mouth  have  rolled  out  the 
extraordinary  expletives  with  which  he  was  wont  to 
give  force  to  his  sentiments.  His  great  delight  was, 
however,  pulling  Gray's  and  my  ears,  which,  we  agreed, 
was  in  revenge  for  taking  him  prisoner.  One  day  he 
wrote  down  nez,  and  asked  me  what  it  meant.  I  re- 
plied by  a  loud  neigh  like  a  horse.  The  rest  of  the 
party  took  the  joke  and  laughed,  as  I  intended  they 
should ;  but  he,  not  understanding  the  cause  of  this,  and 
thinking  that  they  were  laughing  at  him,  seized  my 
nose  and  gave  it  a  tweak,  which  made  me  fancy  he  was 
pulling  it  off.  In  the  impulse  of  the  moment  I  sprang 
on  the  table,  and  seizing  bis  nasal  promontory,  hauled 
away  at  it  with  hearty  good-will,  and  there  we  sat,  he 
sending  forth  with  unsurpassable  rapidity  a  torrent  of 
sa-c-r-r-es,  which  almost  overwhelmed  me ;  neither  of 
us  willing  to  be  the  first  to  let  go.  At  last,  from  sheer 
exhaustion  and  pain,  we  both  of  us  fell  back.  I  might 
have  boasted  of  the  victory,  for,  though  I  felt  acute  pain, 
my  nose  did  not  alter  its  shape,  while  the  Frenchman's 
swelled  up  to  twice  its  usual  proportions.  The  contest, 
however,  very  nearly  put  an  end  to  our  French  lessons. 
However,  as  our  master  was  really  a  good-natured  man, 
he  was  soon  pacified,  and  we  set  to  work  again  as  be- 
fore. 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         227 


CHAPTER   X. 

"We  made  wonderful  progress  with  our  French,  in 
spite  of  our  want  of  books.  Indeed,  I  have  reason  to 
believe,  that  infoi-mation  attained  under  difficulties,  is  not 
only  acquired  more  rapidly,  but  most  certainly  more 
completely  mastered,  than  with  the  aid  of  all  the  modern 
appliances  of  education,  which,  like  steam-engines  at  full 
speed,  haul  us  so  fast  along  the  royal  road  to  knowledge, 
that  we  have  no  time  to  take  in  half  the  freight  pre- 
pared for  us.  We  found,  too,  that  the  old  colonel  knew 
considerably  more  about  English  than  we  had  at  first 
suspected,  and  at  last  we  ascertained  that  he  had  before 
been  captured,  and  shut  up  in  a  prison  in  England.  He 
did  not  seem  to  have  any  pleasing  recollections  of  that 
period  of  his  existence.  One  day,  after  we  had  annoyed 
him  more  than  usual  with  our  pranks,  and  stirred  up  his 
bile,  he  gave  vent  to  his  feelings,  — 

"  Ah,  you  betes,  Anglaises,"  he  exclaimed.  "  You 
have  no  sympathe  vid  des  miserables.  Vous  eat  ros-beef ' 
vous-memes,  and  vous  starve  \o?>  prisonniers." 

He  then  went  on  gravely  to  assure  us,  that  when  the 
inspector  of  prisons  one  day  rode  into  the  yard  of  the 
prison,  and  left  his  horse  there  while  he  entered  the 
building,  the  famished  prisoners  rushed  out  in  a  body 
and  surrounded  the  animal.  Simultaneously  they  made 
a  rush  at  the  poor  beast,  and  stabbed  it  with  their  knives. 
In  an  instant  it  was  skinned,  cut  up,  and  carried  off 


228         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

piecemeal.  When  the  inspecting  officer  came  back,  he 
found  only  the  stirrups  and  bit  and  hoofs.  The  prison- 
ers were  busily  occupied  cooking  their  dinners,  and  had 
already  produced  most  delicious  fricassees,  so  that  the 
English  officer  could  not  believe  that  they  were  formed 
out  of  the  animal  on  whose  back  he  had  galloped  up  to 
the  prison  not  an  hour  before. 

"  That's  pretty  well  up  to  one  of  Mr.  Johnson's  yarns," 
observed  Gray  to  me.  "  I  wish  the  old  fellow  could 
understand  him  ;  the  boatswain  would  take  the  shine 
out  of  him,  I  suspect." 

"  Bah,  dat  is  noting,"  said  the  colonel.  "  I  vill  tell 
you  many  more  curieuse  tings.  You  talk  much  of  de 
Anglish  ladies.  Vel,  des  are  passablement  bien ;  but 
lies  all  get  dronk  ven  des  can,  Je  sais  bien,  vy  des  go 
up-stairs  before  de  gentlehommes  ?  —  it  is  dat  des  may 
drink  at  dere  ease.  Ha,  ha,  dat  is  vot  des  do ;  you 
drink  down-stairs,  des  drink  up-stairs." 

"  Come,  come.  Monsieur  Colonel,"  exclaimed  Duncan 
McAllister,  starting  up  and  striking  his  fist  on  the  table. 
"  Ye  may  tell  what  crammers  ye  like  and  welcome,  but 
if  ye  dare  to  utter  your  falsehoods  about  the  ladies  of 
Scotland  and  England,  matrons  or  maids,  prisoner  though 
you  be,  I'll  make  your  two  eyes  see  brighter  lightning 
than  has  come  out  of  them  for  many  a  day ;  and  if  ye 
want  satisfaction,  ye  shall  have  as  much  as  ye  can  get 
out  of  a  stout  ash-stick.  Vous  comprennez,  don't  ye  ?  " 
The  colonel  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  wisely  said 
nothing.  Though  he  did  not  understand  all  McAllister's 
remarks,  he  saw  that  he  had  gone  too  far,  and  that  it 
would  be  wiser  in  future,  whatever  mi^ht  have  been  his 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         229 

belief,  not  to   utter   any  remarks   disparaging   to   the 
women  of  England  among  a  party  of  English  sailors. 

"  I  dinna  think  that  colonel  ever  did  a  bolder  thing 
than  brave  a  litter  of  young  lions  in  their  den,"  ex- 
claimed McAllister,  who,  for  some  especial  reason,  held 
France  and  Frenchmen  in  utter  detestation  and  abhor- 
rence, though  he  knew  more  of  their  language  than 
most  of  us. 

We  did  not  mind  the  poor  old  colonel's  stories,  for  we 
remembered  that  he  was  a  prisoner  suffering  from  sea- 
sickness, and  that  he  had  no  other  way  of  venting  his 
spleen. 

At  length  we  reached  Port  Royal,  and  our  prize  un- 
der charge  of  Perigal  arrived  at  the  same  time.  Colo- 
nel Pinchard  begged  so  hard  that  he  might  stay  on 
board  while  the  frigate  remained  in  harbor,  that  in  con- 
sideration of  the  instruction  he  was  affording  the  young- 
sters he  was  allowed  to  do  so. 

"Ah,  I  do  like  de  ship  ven  she  stay  tranquil,"  he 
exclaimed,  spreading  out  his  hands  horizontally,  and 
making  them  slowly  move  round.  "  But  ven  she  tumble 
bout,  den,"  he  put  his  hands  on  his  stomach,  exhibitii\g 
with  such  extraordinary  contortions  of  countenance  the 
acuteness  of  his  sensations,  that  we  all  burst  into  hearty 
fits  of  laughter. 

Indeed  the  colonel  was  a  never-failing  source  of 
amusement  to  us.  From  the  wonderfully  prolonged 
cackles  in  which  he  indulged,  he  also  evidently  enjoyed 
the  jokes  himself.  The  schooner,  which  required  but 
little  refitting,  was  soon  ready  for  sea.  It  was  under- 
stood that  Perigal  was  to  have  the  command,  and  Gray 
20 


230         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

and  I  hoped  to  be  allowed  to  accompany  him.  The 
captain  had  not  as  yet  let  us  know  his  intentions.  We 
should  have  been  ready  enough,  probably,  to  have  spent 
our  time  on  shore ;  but  as  we  should  have  but  little 
chance  of  that,  we  fancied  that  we  should  prefer  sailing 
in  search  of  adventures  on  the  ocean.  There  are  few 
more  beautiful  spots  on  the  earth's  surface  than  Jamaica, 
with  its  exquisite  verdure,  its  lofty  hills  known  as  the 
Blue  Mountains,  its  round-topped  heights  covered  with 
groves  of  pimento,  its  vast  savannahs  or  plains,  its  ro- 
mantic vales,  its  rivers,  bays,  and  creeks,  and  its  dense 
and  sombre  forests,  altogether  forming  one  of  the  most 
lovely  of  tropical  pictures. 

Entering  the  harbor,  we  had  Port  Royal  on  the  star- 
board hand,  at  the  end  of  a  long  spit  of  land  called  the 
Palisades.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  narrow  entrance, 
was  Rock  fort,  just  under  a  lofty  hill,  and  as  the  batteries 
of  Fort  Charles  at  Port  Royal  bristled  with  guns,  while 
those  of  Fort  Augusta  faced  us  with  an  equal  number, 
we  agreed  that  an  enemy  would  find  it  no  easy  task  to 
enter  the  harbor. 

The  dockyard  was  at  Port  Royal,  opposite  which  we 
brought  up.  The  Palisades  run  parallel  with  the  main- 
land, thus  forming  a  vast  lagoon,  not  running  inland,  but 
along  the  coast  as  it  were.  Toward  the  upper  end,  the 
commercial  town,  called  Kingston,  with  its  commodious 
harbor,  is  situated.  Some  way  inland,  again,  is  Spanish 
town,  the  capital,  where  the  residence  of  the  Governor 
and  the  House  of  Assembly  are  to  be  found.  It  is  a 
very  hot  place,  and  the  yellow  fever  is  more  apt  to  pay 
it  a  second  vh\t  than  strangers  who  have  once  been 
there,  if  they  can  help  it. 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         231 

The  Admiral  on  the  Jamaica  station  lives  on  shore, 
at  a  house  called  the  Admiral's  pen,  on  the  Palisades, 
■whence  he  commands  a  view  of  the  harbor,  roadstead, 
and  the  ocean.  He  is  better  off  than  the  governor 
because  he  does  not  get  the  sea-breeze,  which  is  the 
best  preventive  to  the  yellow  fever.  It  takes  an  hour 
or  more  pulling  up  from  Port  Royal  to  Kingston,  the 
distance  being  five  or  six  miles,  or  more.  Spellman 
once  induced  me  to  ride  round  along  the  Palisades,  but  we 
agreed  that  we  would  never  do  it  again  ;  for,  as  it  was 
a  calm  day,  and  the  rays  of  the  sun  beat  down  on  the 
white  sands,  we  were  very  nearly  roasted  alive,  and  how 
we  escaped  a  sunstroke  I  do  not  know.  From  what  I 
have  said,  it  will  be  understood  that  Port  Royal  harbor 
is  a  very  large  sheet  of  water,  and  what  with  the  ship- 
ping, the  towns  and  ports  on  its  shores,  and  the  lofty 
mountains  rising  up  in  its  neighborhood,  is  a  very  pic- 
turesque place. 

We  had  not  been  there  long,  when  yellow  jack,  as  the 
yellow  fever  is  called,  made  its  appearance,  both  at 
Kingston  and  Port  Royal,  and  all  visits  to  the  shore 
were  prohibited.  Gray  and  I,  therefore,  had  to  make 
ourselves  as  happy  on  board  as  we  could,  till  we  received 
our  expected  orders  to  join  the  schooner.  We  had  not 
had  a  yarn  for  some  time  from  Mr.  Johnson.  One 
evening,  when  work  was  over,  we  found  him  walking 
the  forecastle,  taking  what  he  called  his  sunset  food 
shaker,  in  a  more  than  usually  thoughtful  mood.  As 
Gray,  Spellman,  and  I,  with  one  or  two  others,  went  up 
to  him,  he  heaved  a  sigh,  which  sounded  not  altogether 
unlike  the  roar  of  a  young  bull. 


232  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Mr.  Johnson  ?  "  I  asked,  ap- 
proaching him.     "  You  seem  melancholy  to-day." 

"  I  have  cause  to  be  so,  Mr.  Merry  ;  I  have  indeed," 
he  answered,  in  a  tone  of  deep  pathos,  again  sighing. 
"  Whenever  I  look  on  the  blue  waters  of  this  harbor,  and 
those  whitewashed  houses,  and  those  lofty  mountains, 
I  think  of  a  strange  and  sad  episode  of  my  eventful 
history." 

Of  course,  we  all  exclaimed  with  one  voice,  "  Do  tell 
it  us,  Mr.  Johnson  !  "  To  which  I  added,  "  If  it  would 
not  break  your  heart,  we  should  so  like  to  hear  it." 

"  Break  my  heart,  Mr.  Merry  !  "  exclaimed  the  boat- 
swain, striking  his  bosom  with  his  open  palm,  and 
making  it  sound  like  the  big  drum  in  a  regimental  band. 
I  could  not  help  fancying  that  thei'e  was  a  considerable 
amount  of  humor  lurking  in  the  corner  of  his  eye. 

"  Break  my  heart !  Jonathan  Johnson's  heart  is 
formed  of  tougher  stuff  than  to  break  with  any  grief  it 
may  be  doomed  to  bear.  You  shall  hear.  But  it 
strikes  me  forcibly,  young  gentlemen,  that  it  may  be  as 
well  to  finish  one  part  of  my  history  before  I  begin 
another.     Who  can  tell  where  I  left  off  ?  " 

"  You  were  just  going  to  be  swallowed  by  the  big 
sea-serpent,  Mr.  Johnson ;  shij),  and  crew,  and  all," 
said  Gray. 

"  It  would  be  more  correct,  Mr.  Gray,  to  say  that  you 
believed  we  were  going  to  be  swallowed  up  ;  because 
you  will  understand  that  had  we  been  swallowed  up,  I 
should  not,  in  all  human  probability,  be  here,  or  ever 
have  attained  the  rank  of  boatswain  of  His  Britannic 
Majesty's  frigate  Doris,"  said  Mr.  Johnson,  with  a  polite 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         233 

bend  of  the  head.     "  However,  not  to  keep  you  longer 
in  suspense,  I  will  continue  my  narrative  :  — 

"  The  good  ship  Diddleus  was  bowling  away  under 
all  sail,  and  the  sea-serpent,  with  mouth  agape,  following 
us.  It's  my  opinion,  and  others  agreed  with  me,  that  if 
he'd  kept  his  mouth  shut  he  would  have  caught  us ;  for 
the  hot  Avind  coming  out  of  his  throat  filled  our  sails, 
just  as  if  it  had  been  blowing  a  heavy  gale  of  wind, 
and  drove  us  ahead  of  him ;  but  he  was  too  eager,  do 
you  see,  and  thought  every  moment  he  was  going  to 
grab  us.  We  guessed  that  he  had  been  aroused  at  find- 
ing his  back  smart  from  the  scratch  we  made  in  it.  We 
thus  ran  on  till  daybreak,  keeping  ahead,  but  not  drop- 
ping him  as  much  as  we  could  have  wished.  It  was 
very  awful,  let  me  tell  you,  young  gentlemen,  to  see  his 
big  rolling  eyes,  to  feel  his  hot  breath,  to  smell  a  smell 
of  sulphur,  and  to  hear  his  loud  roaring.  It  was  pain- 
fully evident  that  he  was  in  a  tremendous  rage  at  the 
liberty  we  had  taken  with  his  back  ;  and  there  was  no 
doubt  that  had  he  come  up  with  us,  he  could  have  swal- 
lowed the  ship  and  crew,  and  his  own  fat  into  the  bar- 
gain, with  as  much  ease  as  he  swallowed  the  whale.  If 
it  was  a  terrific  sight  to  see  him  at  night,  it  was  still 
worse  in  the  day-time.  His  immense  jaws  were  wide 
open,  showing  a  dozen  rows  of  teeth,  while  his  large 
eyes  projected  on  either  side ;  and  I  don't  think  I  ex- 
aggerate when  I  say  that  the  tip  of  his  upper  jaw  was 
fully  sixty  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  water.  As  you 
all  well  know,  young  gentlemen,  I  am  not  a  man  to  be 
daunted  ;  so  I  loaded  our  stern-chasers,  and  kept  blaz- 
ing away  at  the  monster,  to  make  him  turn  aside ;  but 
20* 


234         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

to  no  effect.  I  trained  the  guns  myself,  and  every  shot 
went  into  his  mouth ;  but  he  just  rolled  his  eyes  round, 
and  swallowed  them  as  if  they  were  so  many  pills.  It 
was  a  fine  sight,  though  a  terribly  fearful  one,  I  own,  to 
see  him  coming  along  so  steadily  and  stately,  with  the 
water  curling  and  foaming  under  his  bows,  and  flying 
high  up  into  the  air  as  he  cut  through  it.  It  was  neck 
or  nothing  with  us ;  so  we  kept  blazing  away  as  fast  as 
we  could  load.  I  confess  that  every  moment  I  expect- 
ed he  would  make  a  spring  and  grab  us,  just  as  an  or- 
dinary fish  does  the  bait  held  over  him  ;  but  it  was  ne- 
cessary that  I  should  set  an  example  of  coolness  to  my 
crew;  and,  under  the  circumstances,  I  believe  that  mortal 
man  could  not  have  been  cooler.  I  could  not  hide  from 
myself  the  consequences,  should  he  catch  us  ;  and  yet  I 
scarcely  dared  to  hope  that  we  should  escape.  "We  had 
expended,  at  last,  all  our  round  shot,  and  the  greater 
part  of  our  powder,  and  we  had  to  load  with  bags  of 
nails  and  any  langrage  we  could  find.  "We  had  half 
emptied  the  carpenter's  chest,  and,  except  some  copper 
bolts,  there  seemed  to  be  nothing  else  we  could  fire  off, 
when,  by  my  calculations,  I  found  that  we  were  ap- 
proaching the  line.  Life  is  sweet ;  and  so,  that  we 
might  keep  off  the  fatal  moment  as  long  as  possible,  we 
determined  to  fire  away  as  long  as  we  had  a  tin  tack 
or  a  bradawl  to  put  into  our  guns,  when,  on  a  sudden, 
he  uttered  a  fierce  roar — it  did  make  us  jump  —  and 
down  went  his  head  right  under  the  water,  and  up  went 
his  tail  like  a  huge  pillar,  when  flop  it  came  down  again, 
sending  the  sea  flying  over  us  and  verj'  neai'ly  pooping 
the  ship.     We  felt  very  uncomfortable,  for  we  naturally 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  235 

expected  to  see  him  come  up  alongside ;  but  he  didn't, 
and  two  minutes  afterwards  we  made  him  out  close  to 
the  horizon,  to  the  southward.  It  was  my  opinion  at 
the  time  —  and  I  have  held  it  ever  since  —  that  either 
.he  did  not  like  the  mouthful  of  big  nails  and  bradawls 
he  swallowed,  or  that  he  had  some  objection  to  crossing 
the  line  from  not  knowing  the  navigation  on  the  other 
side.  At  all  events,  we  were  clear  of  him.  We  had  a 
quick  run  to  Liverpool,  where  the  oil  sold  at  a  very- 
high  price,  and  I  got  a  monstrous  amount  of  credit  from 
all  who  believed  my  wonderful  narrative.  As  is  always 
the  case,  some  didn't,  in  spite  of  the  oil  I  exhibited  in 
proof  of  the  occurrence ;  but  I  treated  the  incredulous 
fellows  with  the  scorn  they  deserved,  and  from  that  day 
to  this,  I'll  answer  for  it,  no  one  has  ever  caught  sight 
of  so  much  as  the  tail  of  the  real  Sea-Serpent." 

"  Veil,  Mistre  Johnson,  dat  is  von  very  vonderful,  vot 
you  call  it ! "  exclaimed  Colonel  Pinchard,  who  had 
joined  us. 

"  A  big,  thundering  bouncer  !  "  cried  a  voice  from  be- 
hind the  boatswain's  back.  He  turned  sharply  round, 
but  did  not  discover  the  speaker.  He  shook  his  fist  in 
that  direction,  however,  with  a  comic  expression  in  his 
eye,  saying,  — 

"  Bouncer  or  no  bouncer,  mister  whoever  you  are,  I 
beg  that  you'll  understand  clearly,  that  I  will  allow  no 
man,  whoever  he  may  be,  to  labor  under  the  misappre- 
hension that  I  ever  depai't  one  tenth  of  a  point  from  the 
strict  line  of  truth ;  and  that  reminds  me  that  I  prom- 
ised you,  Mr.  Merry,  and  you,  Mr.  Gray,  to  narrate  an 
event  which  occurred  during  the  next  voyage  I  made. 


236  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

I  wasn't  long  in  finding  a  ship,  for  the  certificates  with 
which  the  owners  of  the  Diddleus  had  furnished  me 
were  highly  satisfactory ;  in  fact,  merit  like  mine 
couldn't,  in  those  days,  languish  in  obscurity;  though, 
by  the  by,  I  ouglit  not  exactly  to  sing  my  own  praises  > 
but  when  a  man  has  a  due  consciousness  of  his  own 
superior  talents,  the  feeling  will  ooze  out  now  and  then, 
do  all  he  can  to  conceal  it.  Things  are  altered  now : 
merit's  claims  are  no  longer  allowed,  or  I  should  be  liv- 
ing on  shore  now."  Mi*.  Johnson  pointed  significantly 
at  the  Admiral's  pen. 

"  Ah  !  Oui !  I  vonce  read  of  von  great  man,  Sinbad 
de  Sailor,  and  von  oder  man,  Captain  Lemuel  Gulliver. 
You  vary  like  dem  gentlemen,  observed  Colonel  Pinch- 
ard,  with  the  politest  of  bows,  to  the  boatswain. 

"  Sinbad  !  and  Gulliver  ! "  shouted  the  boatswain 

indignantly.  "  If  there  are  two  fellows  whose  names  I 
hate  more  than  others,  they  are  those.  Take  them  all 
in  all,  I  consider  them,  without  exception,  the  biggest 
liars  who  have  ever  lived ;  and  if  there  is  a  character  I 
detest  more  than  another,  it  is  that  of  a  man  who  de- 
parts in  the  slightest  degree  from  the  truth  ;  no  one  can 
any  longer  have  confidence  in  what  he  says  :  and,  for  my 
own  part,  I'd  rather  lose  ray  right  hand,  and  my  head 
into  the  bargain,  than  have  the  shadow  of  a  reason  for 
supposing  that  the  words  I  was  uttering  would  run  the 
remotest  chance  of  not  being  implicitly  believed." 

The  boatswain's  eye  kef)t  rolling  round  on  his  audi- 
tory with  a  self-satisfied  glance,  and  a  twinkle  withal, 
as  much  as  to  say,  '"  You  I  care  about  understand  me 
perfectly,  and  if  there  are  any  geese  who  don't,  they  are 
welcome  to  swallow  all  they  can  digest." 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  237 

"Ah!  I  had  just  found  a  fresh  ship.  She  was  the 
Lady  Stiggins,  a  fine  brig,  well  armed,  and  bound  round 
Cape  Horn.  We  had  a  somewhat  roving  commission, 
and  were  first  to  touch  here  at  Jamaica,  and  one  or  two 
others  of  these  gems  of  the  tropics  —  these  islands,  full 
of  sugarcaudy  and  blackamoors. 

''  I  was  not  at  first  a  favorite  with  the  crew,  for  not 
having  had  an  opportunity  of  testing  my  qualifications, 
but  having  heard  some  of  my  veracious  narratives,  they 
were  inclined  to  look  upon  me  as  an  empty  bragga- 
docio, a  character  they  very  naturally  despised ;  but  I 
soon  gave  them  reason  to  alter  their  opinion,  when  I  was 
quickly  raised  to  that  position  in  their  estimation  which 
I  ever  after  enjoyed. 

"  "We  were  about  a  day's  sail  from  this  same  harbor 
of  Port  Royal,  and  were  expecting  to  make  the  land 
next  morning,  when  it  fell  calm.  It  was  the  hottest 
time  of  the  year.  The  sun  sent  his  rays  down  on  our 
heads  as  if  he  were  a  furnace  a  few  yards  off,  making 
the  pitch  in  the  seams  of  our  decks  bubble  and  squeak, 
like  bacon  in  a  frying-pan ;  and  I  remember  that  a 
basket  of  eggs  in  the  cabin  were  hatched  in  a  few 
minutes,  and  looking  up  from  a  book  I  was  reading, 
I  saw  a  whole  brood  of  chickens  and  ducks  squattering 
about  the  deck,  not  knowing  where  they'd  come  from, 
or  what  to  do  with  themselves.  The  chickens,  however, 
soon  went  to  roost  in  a  corner,  for  it  was  too  hot  to 
keep  awake,  and  the  ducks  waddled  up  on  deck,  and 
were  making  the  best  of  their  way  over  the  vessel's 
side  into  the  element  in  which  they  delight,  when  we 
turned  them  into  a  water-butt,  which  contented  them 
mightily. 


238         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

"  But  this  was  not  the  story  I  was  going  to  tell  you. 
Every  one  on  board  felt  like  the  ducks  and  chickens, 
overcome  by  the  heat ;  so  at  last,  not  considering  the 
risk  they  ran,  many  of  the  men  stripped  off  their  clothes 
and  jumped  overboard. 

"  I,  however,  kept  mine  on,  and  so  did  several  others. 
The  fact  was,  that  we  had  only,  in  that  hot  weather,  to 
give  ourselves  a  shake,  and  to  turn  once  round  in  the 
sun,  and  we  w'ere  dry  through  and  through. 

"  We  had  frolicking  and  swimming  about  for  some 
time,  enjoying  the  comparatively  cool  water,  though,  for 
the  matter  of  that,  it  was  pretty  well  hot  enough  to  boil 
a  lobster,  when  suddenly  our  ears  were  assailed  with  a 
terrific  cry  of  '  A  shark  !  a  shark  ! ' 

"The  outside  man  was  a  fine  young  fellow,  Tom 
Harding  by  name.  The  poor  fellow  saw  his  danger,  for 
the  shark  was  making  directly  for  him.  I  sang  out  to  him 
not  to  be  afraid,  but  to  swim  as  fast  as  he  could  toward 
the  ship,  and  he  didn't  require  to  be  told  twice.  Mean- 
time I  was  making  a  circle  round,  so  as  to  approach 
the  beast  in  the  rear ;  for,  as  you  all  know,  I  am  a  first- 
rate  swimmer,  and  I  never  yet  heard  of  the  man  who 
could  keep  up  with  me.  Why,  I  once  swam  from 
Dover  to  Calais,  and  back  again,  for  a  wager,  and  danced 
a  hornpipe  on  the  top  of  Shakspeare's  cliff,  to  the  aston- 
ishment of  all  who  saw  me  —  but  that's  neither  here 
nor  there." 

"  Vel,  I  vonder  de  shark  did  not  eat  you,"  observed 
the  colonel,  with  a  grin. 

"  Eat  me,  mounseer !  I  should  like  to  see  the  shark 
who  would  venture  to  attempt  it,  unless  he  found  me 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  239 

snoozing  on  the  top  of  a  wave,"  exclaimed  the  boat- 
swain, in  a  tone  of  pretended  indignation.  "  If  it  hadn't 
been  for  me,  however,  he  would  have  bolted  Tom 
Harding,  and  no  mistake.  Well,  Tom  was  swimming 
for  dear  life,  and  all  the  rest  of  the  crew  were  scram- 
bling up  the  side  of  the  vessel,  thinking  that  it  was  all 
over  with  both  of  us,  when  I  saw  the  monster  turn  on 
his  back,  his  white  belly  shining  in  the  sun,  as  he  made 
a  grab  at  Tom's  leg.  It  was  now  time  for  me  to  intei*- 
fere ;  so,  striking  out  with  all  my  might,  I  seized  the 
shark  by  the  tail,  and  slewing  him  round,  just  as  he 
expected  to  make  a  mouthful  of  Tom,  he  missed  his 
aim,  and  his  jaws  met  with  a  crack  which  sounded  like 
the  report  of  a  hundred  muskets.  Tom  gave  a  shriek, 
for  he  thought  —  as  well  he  might  —  that  his  last  hour 
had  come ;  but,  still  more  from  instinct  than  from  any 
hope  of  escape,  he  swam  on,  and  was  very  much  sur- 
prised to  find  himself  alongside  the  ship..  In  fact,  when 
he  was  hauled  on  deck,  it  was  some  time,  I  was  told, 
before  he  could  be  persuaded  that  he  hadn't  lost  both 
his  legs,  so  firmly  convinced  was  he  that  the  shark  had 
got  hold  of  them. 

"  I  meantime  kept  a  taut  hold  of  the  fish,  who  was 
whisking  about  his  tail,  and  snapping  his  jaws  in  his 
disappointment ;  and  hard  work  I  had,  you  may  depend 
on't.  As  he  went  one  way  I  pulled  the  other,  and  act- 
ing like  a  rudder,  brought  him  round  again,  till  I  worked 
him  near  and  nearer  to  the  ship.  At  last  I  got  him 
alongside,  and  singing  out  for  a  rope,  which  was  quickly 
hove  to  me,  I  passed  it  dexterously  over  his  tail,  and 
told  the  men  on  deck  to  haul  it  taut.     He  was  thus 


240         MARMADUKE   MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

partly  secured,  but  the  difficulty  was  to  make  his  head 
fast,  for  I  had  no  fancy  to  get  within  the  power  of  his 
jaws.  I  should  observe  that  he  was  the  largest  shark  I 
saw.  I  was  almost  despairing  of  securing  him,  when 
one  of  the  men,  Bill  Jones,  I  remember,  was  his  name, 
made  fast  a  big  hook  with  a  lump  of  pork  to  the  top- 
gallant halyards,  and  hove  it  before  him.  The  shark 
grabbed  it  in  a  moment,  and  we  had  him  fast.  Those 
on  deck  had  just  before  been  endeavoring  to  pass  a  rope 
under  his  head,  and  this  now  slipped  up  and  caught  in 
his  jaws.  No  sooner  did  he  feel  the  iron  in  his  mouth, 
than,  darting  forward,  away  he  went  ahead  of  the  vessel. 
As  I  sprang  on  deck  the  idea  struck  me  that  I  would 
make  him  of  use.  There  was  no  great  difficulty,  for, 
passing  another  line  over  his  jaws,  we  had  a  regular 
pair  of  reins  on  him.  One  end  of  the  line  was  brought 
in  on  the  starboard  and  the  other  on  the  larboard  bow 
port,  while  the  hook  in  the  nose  served  to  bring  him 
sharp  up,  when  he  ran  too  fast.  No  sooner  were  these 
arrangements  made  than  away  he  went  at  a  rapid  pace 
ahead,  towing  us  at  the  rate  of  at  least  six  knots  an 
hour  —  I  like  always  to  be  under  the  mark,  for  fear  of 
being  thought  guilty  of  exaggeration.  By  hauling  in, 
now  on  one  side  now  on  the  other,  we  managed  to  steer 
him  very  well  on  our  proper  course. 

"  The  calm  continued,  but  on  we  glided  through  the 
water,  to  the  inexpressible  astonishment  of  the  crews  of 
several  craft  we  passed,  who,  of  course,  thought  the 
Lady  Stiggins  must  be  the  Flying  Dutchman.  As  we 
entered  the  harbor,  the  surprise  of  people  on  shore  was 
equally  great ;  and  no  sooner  did  we  drop  our  anchor, 


MAEMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         241 

than  the  brig  was  surrounded  by  boats  full  of  people, 
eager  to  hear  an  explanation  of  the  phenomenon.  They 
could  scarcely  credit  our  assertions  when  we  told  th.em 
how  we  had  got  along,  till  we  -  showed  them  the  mon- 
ster frisking  about  under  the  bows  almost  as  tame  and 
docile  as  a  dog. 

"  I  had  always  a  wonderful  knack  of  managing  pets 
of  all  sorts,  and  by  kindly  treating  Jack  Shark  he  became 
very  fond  of  m.e,  and  whenever  I  went  on  shore,  he 
would  swim  after  the  boat,  and  remain  frolicking  about 
near  her  till  my  return.  At  last  I  thought  I  would 
make  him  of  use ;  so,  rigging  a  pair  of  short  reins,  I 
slipped  them  over  his  jaws,  and  then  jumped  on  his 
back.  He  understood  in  a  moment  what  was  expected 
of  him,  and  away  he  went  with  me  at  a  rapid  rate 
through  the  water.  After  that,  hghting  ray  pipe  quite 
comfortably,  I  invariably  went  on  shore  on  his  back, 
and  throwing  my  reins  over  a  post,  I  used  to  leave  him 
till  my  return.  You  may  depend  on  it,  none  of  the 
little  blackamoors  ever  played  tricks  with  him. 

"  There  are  many  of  the  principal  merchants  and 
others  at  Kingston  even  now,  who  would,  young  gentle- 
men, if  you  were  to  ask  them,  vouch  for  the  truth  of 
the  circumstance.  Just  ask  them,  and  hear  what  they'll 
say.  The  curious  part  of  it  was,  that  though  so  tame 
with  me,  he  would  attack  anybody  else,  and  not  a  sea- 
man from  any  of  the  ships  dared  to  attempt  swimming 
on  shore  as  they  had  frequently  before  done.  In  fact 
he  did  swallow  one  or  two ;  and  I  believe  that  he  was 
voted  a  perfect  nuisance,  so  that  every  one  was  glad 
when  we  and  our  pet  left  the  harbor  to  prosecute  our 
^1 


242         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

voyage.  Of  course  he  followed  ns ;  and  I  used  every 
morning  to  heave  him  a  piece  of  pork  for  his  breakfast, 
a  few  casks  of  which  I  bought  cheap  of  a  Jew  on  pur- 
pose. It  was  measly,  but  he  didn't  mind  that.  And 
now  I'm  coming  to  the  melancholy  part  of  the  history 
connected  with  my  pet  shark.  But  I  have  talked  a 
good  deal,  and  in  this  warm  weather  it's  an  exertion 
even  to  use  one's  jaws  ;  so  young  gentlemen,  you  must 
excuse  me  from  continuing  my  veracious  narrative  for 
the  present." 

"  Oh,  do  go  on,  Mr.  Johnson  —  do  go  on,"  we  all  ex- 
claimed ;  but  the  boatswain  was  inexorable,  and,  as  it 
happened,  it  was  some  time  before  we  heard  the  sequel 
to  his  history  of  the  shark. 

The  next  day,  Gray,  and  I,  and  Spellman,  were  or- 
dered to  join  the  schooner  with  twenty  hands.  Perigal 
still  kept  command,  and  at  the  last  moment  McAllister 
came  on  board  to  act  as  his  first  lieutenant,  with  the 
assistant  surgeon  Macquoid,  and  a  clerk,  Bobus,  as 
purser.  Of  course  the  schooner  did  not  require  so  many 
oflScers  and  men  to  navigate  her,  but  we  hoped  to  take 
many  prizes,  and  hands,  of  course,  would  be  wanted  to 
bring  them  home.  We  invited  the  old  colonel  to  accom- 
pany us.  With  a  most  amusing  grimace,  and  an  inimi- 
table shake  of  the  head  and  shrugs  of  the  shoulders,  he 
answered,  "  Ah,  mes  jeunes  gentlemens,  I  do  love  vous 
va-a  mosh  ;  but  de  mer  —  de  terrible  mer.  I  do  vish 
de  verld  ver  von  big  earth  and  no  vater."  So  we  had 
to  leave  the  colonel  and  our  French  lessons  behind  ;  but 
we  assured  him  that  we  would  study  hard  during  our 
absence.     Good  as  were  our  intentions,  it  was  not  very 


MATIMADUKE    MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         243 

likely  that  we  could  adhere  to  them,  and,  by  the  expres- 
sion of  his  countenance,  the  colonel  showed  that  he  was 
strongly  of  that  opinion. 

We  sailed  at  daybreak,  and  had  the  land  breeze  to 
take  us  out  of  the  hai'bor.  Our  course  was  to  the 
southward,  toward  the  well-known  Spanish  Main.  Our 
schooner  was  the  Espoir.  She  sailed  well,  and  carried 
two  eighteen-pounders  and  six  long  eights,  so  that  we 
had  every  reason  to  hope  that  we  should  pick  up  some 
prizes,  if  we  did  not  get  taken  ourselves.  That  last 
contingency  did  not  occur  to  us.  Though  it  was  hot, 
and  we  were  rather  crowded  in  the  cabin,  we  had  a 
very  pleasant  time  on  board.  We  naturally  messed  to- 
gether, and  had  secured  all  the  good  things  from  the 
shore,  in  the  shape  of  fruits  and  vegetables,  and  poultry 
and  liquor,  which  we  could  collect.  It  is  very  well  for 
poets  and  authors  to  make  their  heroes  contented  Avith 
hard  fare.  I  can  only  say  that  midshipmen  are  not,  if 
they  know  that  better  is  to  be  got ;  and  I  have  observed, 
whenever  I  have  been  in  the  society  of  poets  and  other 
authors,  that,  practically,  they  have  enjoyed  a  good 
dinner  as  much  as  any  class  of  people  could  do,  and 
been  very  much  inclined  to  grumble  if  they  did  not  get 
it,  too.  We  were  out  some  days  without  sighting  a 
single  sail,  but  we  were  not  the  less  merry,  living  upon 
hope,  and  the  good  fare  our  caterer,  Macquoid,  had  col- 
lected. At  length  a  sail  was  seen,  and  chase  made.  It 
was  some  time  before  we  could  make  out  whether  the 
stranger  was  a  man-of-war  or  merchantman,  a  friend  or 
foe.  She  was  a  brig,  we  soon  discovered,  and  when  we 
saw  her  up  helm  and  run  off  before  the  wind,  we  had  no 


244         MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE  MIDSHIPMAN. 

doubt  as  to  her  pacific  character.  Still  ?he  might  be 
English,  and,  if  so,  we  should  have  had  our  chase  for 
nothing.  She  was  a  slow  sailer,  for  we  came  up  with 
her  rapidly.  We  had  showed  no  colors,  and  had  got 
her  within  range  of  our  long  guns,  when  up  went  the 
French  ensign.  A  cheer  burst  from  our  throats.  It 
would  have  been  more  hearty  if  we  had  thought  she  had 
been  armed.  We  showed  our  colors  in  return.  On  we 
stood,  firing  a  shot  wide  of  her  as  a  signal  for  her  to 
heave  to.  She  obeyed,  and  we,  heaving  to  near  her, 
McAllister,  with  Spellman  and  a  boat's  ci'ew,  were  sent 
to  take  possession.  The  boat  was  sent  back  with  several 
of  the  French  crew.  The  prize  was  not  a  rich  one,  but 
she  was  too  valuable  to  be  destroyed,  so  Perigal  directed 
Spellman  to  take  her  to  Jamaica,  allowing  him  four 
hands.  Miss  Susan  did  not  at  all  like  having  his  cruise 
cut  so  short,  but  we  congratulated  him  on  the  honor  of 
having  a  separate  command,  being  ourselves  very  well 
contented  to  continue  on  board  the  Espoir.  For  two 
days  more  we  stood  south,  when,  at  daybreak,  another 
sail  was  descried  from  the  masthead.  She  was  a 
schooner,  and,  from  the  squareness  of  her  yards,  her 
taunt  masts,  and  her  white  canvas,  we  suspected  that, 
should  she  be  an  enemy,  she  would  prove  a  very  differ- 
ent sort  of  customer  to  the  slow-sailing  brig  we  had  just 
before  captured.  That  she  was  not  afraid  of  us  was 
very  evident,  for,  throwing  her  head-sails  aback,  she 
awaited  our  coming.  In  a  short  time  we  made  out  the 
French  ensign  flying  at  her  peak,  and  we  concluded  that 
she  was  a  privateer,  probably  with  a  large  crew,  and 
well-armed.     Perigal,   on    this,   called    all    hands    aft. 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         245 

"  Now,  my  lads,"  said  he,  "  that  craft  is  an  enemy  ;  very 
likely  twice  as  many  men  dance  on  her  decks  as  on 
ours  ;  but  they  are  Frenchmen,  and  I  want  to  show  that 
we  are  English,  every  one,  to  the  backbone,  and  see  how 
quickly  we  can  take  her.  I  have  nothing  more  to  say, 
except  to  tell  you  not  to  throw  your  shot  away,  and,  if 
it  comes  to  boai'ding,  when  you  strike,  strike  home." 
Three  hearty  cheers  was  the  response  to  this  address. 
The  old  mate  was  not  much  given  to  oratory,  but,  when 
he  spoke,  he  never  failed  to  speak  to  the  purpose. 
Arms  were  served  out,  and  pistols  were  stuck  in  belts, 
and  cutlasses  buckled  on  ;  muskets  were  loaded,  and 
arranged  in  readiness  for  use  ;  powder  and  round  shot 
were  brought  on  deck,  and  the  men,  stripped  to  the 
waist,  with  handkerchiefs  bound  round  their  heads,  stood 
ready  for  action.  They  looked  as  grim  and  determined 
a  set  as  a  commanding  officer  would  wish  to  see  ;  but 
still,  jokes  were  bandied  about  one  from  the  other,  and 
it  did  not  seem  to  occur  to  any  of  them  that,  before 
another  hour  of  time  had  slipped  by,  in  all  probability 
several  might  be  numbered  with  the  dead.  Ned  Bam- 
brick  was  at  the  helm,  with  his  eye  cast  ever  and  anon 
at  the  canvas,  and  then  at  the  Frenchman,  as  we  glided 
on  rapidly  toward  him,  just  as  cool  and  unconcerned  as 
if  he  was  standing  up  to  speak  a  friend.  We  had  the 
weather-gauge,  and  Perigal  resolved  to  keep  it.  Sup- 
posing the  enemy  superior  to  us  in  strength,  it  would 
give  us  an  important  and  necessary  advantage.  To  a 
sailor's  eye  it  was  a  pretty  sight  to  see  the  two  schooners 
approaching.  The  Espoir  was  a  handsome  craft,  and  so 
was  her  antagonist.  We  did  not  at  first  show  our  colors. 
20* 


246         MARMADUKE    MERRT,    THE    MIDSHIPMAK. 

No  sooner,  however,  did  we  lioist  them  than  the  French- 
man filled  his  sails  and  tacked,  in  the  hope  of  weathei'- 
ing  on  us,  firing  at  the  same  time  a  gun  of  defiance. 
We  suspected  that  he  had  not  till  then  known  exactly 
what  to  make  of  us,  and  possihly  had  taken  us  for  a 
friend.  However,  the  Frenchmen  were  now  in  for  it, 
and,  like  brave  men,  were  resolved  to  fight  it  out.  We 
were  now  near  enough  for  our  long-eights  to  tell,  and 
the  very  first  shot,  flying  high,  knocked  away  the  jaws 
of  the  enemy's  main  gaff,  wounding  at  the  same  time 
the  head  of  the  mainmast.  At  seeing  this,  a  hearty 
cheer  rose  from  all  on  boai'd.  It  was  a  prognostic  of 
success. 

"  If  we'd  tried  to  do  that  same  we  could  not  have 
succeeded,"  observed  M'AUister.  "  I  say,  Perigal,  you 
must  let  me  take  that  craft  to  Jamaica." 

"  With  all  my  heart,  my  boy,  when  she's  ours ;  but 
it's  ill  luck  to  give  away  what  doesn't  belong  to  us," 
answered  our  skipper. 

"  Never  mind  ;  but  she  will  be  before  many  minutes 
are  over,"  persisted  M'AUister.  "  Now,  lads,  just  follow 
suit  to  that  shot,  and  we'll  do  for  the  mounseers  in  a 
very  short  time." 

By  this  fortunate  shot  we  had  the  enemy  almost  in 
our  power.  She  ran  off  before  the  wind,  and  we  soon 
came  up  with  her,  and  hung  on  her  quarter,  so  that  she 
could  rarely  bring  more  than  one  gun  at  a  time  to  bear 
on  us.  She.  had  fired  several  shots  without  effect,  but 
at  last  to  make  amends,  one  came  flying  diagonally 
across  our  deck,  taking  off  the  head  of  one  of  our  men, 
and  knocking  over  a  second,  who  survived  but  a  few 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  247 

moments.  A  few  more  such  fatal  shots  would  sadly 
have  thinned  our  numbers.  The  enemy  had  a  good 
number  of  men  on  deck,  but  not  so  many  as  we  expect- 
ed. Some  were  sent  aloft  to  try  and  repair  the  damage 
to  the  gaff,  and  this,  as  we  had  got  within  musket  range, 
we  did  our  best  to  prevent  by  keeping  up  a  fire  of  small 
arms  at  them.  I  had  seized  a  musket,  and  with  others 
was  blazing  away,  not  very  effectually,  for  the  men  con- 
tinued their  work,  and  no  one  appeared  to  be  hurt, 
when,  just  as  I  had  fired,  I  saw  a  man  drop  stone  dead 
upon  the  deck.  It  was  my  shot  had  done  the  deed.  A 
sickening  sensation  came  over  me.  I  felt  as  if  I  had 
committed  a  murder.  It  would  have  been  different  had 
I  hit  one  of  the  men  at  the  guns,  but  the  poor  fellow 
was  performing,  so  it  seemed,  but  an  ordinary  piece  of  a 
seaman's  duty  ;  my  blood  was  cool,  I  did  not  feel  that 
he  was  my  enemy.  Perhaps  the  idea  was  foolish  ;  it 
did  not  last  long.  The  rest  of  the  men  aloft  were  soon 
driven  on  deck,  and  shooting  ahead,  we  ranged  up  along- 
side, and  poured  in  the  whole  of  our  broadside.  The 
enemy  returned  our  fire,  but  our  men  worked  their  guns 
almost  twice  as  quick  as  the  Frenchmen  did,  aiming 
much  better,  and  the  effect  was  soon  apparent  in  their 
shattered  bulwarks,  deck  strewed  with  slain,  and  torn 
sails. 

"  Blaze  away,  lads,"  shouted  M'Alister,  as  he  went 
from  gun  to  gun,  pointing  one,  lending  a  hand  to  run 
out  another,  or  to  load  a  third. 

Still  the  gallant  Frenchmen  fought  on.  Tiiey  were 
very  unlike  old  Pincliard  and  his  men  ;  but  there  was  this 
difference,  they   were  sailor.-,  whereas  the  others  were 


248         MARMADUKE    MEKRT,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

soldiers,  and  it  was  the  mal  de  nier  in  that  instance 
deserved  the  credit  of  the  victory  more  than  we  did. 
This  close  firing  soon  got  our  blood  up,  and  I  now  felt 
anxious  to  run  the  enemy  aboard,  that  we  might  be  at 
them  with  our  cutlasses.  I  have  not  often  found  French- 
men foolhardy :  they  know  when  they  are  beaten.  En- 
glishmen don't,  and  so  sometimes  stumble  against  all 
rule  into  victory.  Just  as  Perigal  had  ordered  Bam- 
brick  to  put  the  helm  to  starboard,  to  run  the  enemy 
aboard,  the  French  captain  hauled  down  his  flag,  and, 
coming  to  the  gangway,  made  us  a  profound  bow,  as  an 
additional  sign  that  he  had  struck.  We  immediately 
ceased  firing,  and  as  our  boats  had  escaped  damage,  one 
was  lowered,  and  M'AUister  and  I  went  on  board  to 
take  possession.  We  had  certainly  contrived  in  a  short 
hour  considerably  to  spoil  the  beauty  of  the  French 
schooner,  and  dreadfully  to  diminish  the  number  of  her 
crew.  Her  brave  captain  and  most  of  his  officers  were 
wounded,  and  six  men  were  killed  and  ten  wounded. 
Her  captain  received  us  on  the  quarter-deck,  where  he 
stood  ready  to  deliver  his  sword  with  the  greatest  polite- 
ness, as  if  it  was  really  a  pleasant  act  he  was  perform- 
ing, and  assured  us  that  it  was  the  fortune  de  la  guerre, 
and  that  he  had  learned  to  yield  to  fortune  without  a 
murmur. 

"  He  really  is  one  of  the  pleasantest  Frenclimer  I 
have  ever  met,"  observed  M'Allisfer.  "  We  must  treat 
him  with  all  consideration." 

Curiously  enough,  this  remark  of  my  messmate  kept 
continually  running  in  my  head,  arid  I  could  not  help 
repeating  it.     AVe  had  plenty  to  do  to  buiy  the  dead, 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         249 

wash  the  decks,  repair  the  masts,  and  spars,  and  bul- 
warks, and  to  splice  the  rigging,  and  bend  fresh  sails. 
M'Allister  was  directed  to  go  as  prize-master,  and  I  with 
Bambrick,  Foley,  and  four  other  hands  accompanied 
him  ;  some  of  the  French  crew  were  removed  on  board 
the  Espoir,  but  the  captain,  two  officers,  and  eight  men 
remained  with  us  as  prisoners. 

Perigal  had,  in  fact,  already,  more  prisoners  than  his 
own  crew  now  mustered.  Our  new  prize  was  the 
Audacieuse,  a  larger  vessel  and  better  armed  than  the 
Espoir.  By  nightfall  we  had  made  great  progress  in 
getting  the  prize  to  rights,  and  as  our  own  vessel  had 
suffered  but  little,  we  were  able  to  bestow  all  our 
strength  upon  her.  Both  Perigal  and  M'Allister  were 
very  anxious  to  continue  the  cruise  together.  The 
objection  to  this  was  the  number  of  our  prisoners.  Still, 
as  M'Allister  argued,  the  commander  of  the  prize, 
Lieutenant  Preville,  was  a  very  quiet  sort  of  fellow, 
and  the  men  left  on  board  were  orderly  and  well- 
behaved,  so  that  he  should  have  no  difficulty  in  keeping 
them  under. 

"  But,  remember,  M'Allister,  that  crews  have  some- 
times risen  against  their  captors,  and  retaken  their 
vessels.  It  will  be  necessary  to  be  very  careful," 
observed  Perigal. 

"  Oh,  never  fear,  my  old  fellow  ;  I  should  think  that 
we  seven  Englishmen  could  keep  a  dozen  or  more 
Frenchmen  in  oi'der,"  answered  M'Allister,  with  a  some- 
what scornful  laugh.  "  If  we  go  into  action,  we  will 
clap  them  under  hatches,  and  they  will  be  quiet  enough, 
depend  on  that." 


250         MABMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

At  length  Perigal  yielded,  and  the  Audacieuse's 
masthead  having  been  finished,  and  all  other  damages 
made  good,  we  continued  our  cruise  together.  Lieu- 
tenant Preville  was  a  gentleman,  and  really  a  very 
pleasant  fellow  ;  and,  to  show  our  appreciation  of  his 
good  qualities,  we  invited  him  to  live  in  his  own  cabin, 
and  to  partake  of  the  delicacies  which  he  had  laid  in  for 
his  own  special  use,  which  was  generous  on  our  part ; 
and  which  conduct  he  did  not  fail  to  acknowledge  by 
doing  ample  justice  to  the  viands.  He  frequently,  too, 
would  tuck  up  his  sleeves,  and,  going  into  the  galley, 
would  cook  dishes,  which  I  doubt  that  any  Parisian  chef 
could  have  surpassed. 

"  Ah,  ma  foi,"  he  observed  in  French  when  we  com- 
plimented him  on  his  success.  "  In  my  opinion  a  man 
has  no  right  to  claim  the  character  of  a  civilized  being, 
much  less  of  a  chef,  unless  he  can  produce  a  complete 
dinner  from  an  old  tom-cat  and  a  bundle  of  nettle-tops. 
He  should  depend  on  the  fire  and  the  sources  managed 
by  his  own  skill.  The  rest  of  the  materials  are  nothing. 
The  fire  brings  every  thing  to  the  same  condition." 
Certainly  Lieutenant  Preville  managed  to  give  us  an 
infinite  variety  of  dishes,  to  all  appearance,  the  founda- 
tion of  which,  to  the  best  of  my  belief,  was  salt  pork,  and 
beef  of  a  very  tough  and  dry  nature.  Of  course,  such 
a  man  would  soon  win  his  way  into  the  good  graces  of 
far  more  stoical  beings  than  English  midshipmen  are 
apt  to  be  at  present,  or  were  in  those  good  old  days. 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         251 


CHAPTER   XI. 

"  Welt.,  Marmaduke,  my  boy,  we  are  having  a  jolly 
cruise  of  it,"  observed  M'Allister  one  afternoon,  as  we 
walked  the  deck  together,  having  just  partaken  of  an 
especially  good  dinner,  dressed  by  our  most  polite  and 
obsequious  prisoner.  Lieutenant  Preville.  "  If  we 
could  but  fall  in  with  two  or  three  more  fat  prizes  we 
should  be  able  to  set  up  as  independent  gentlemen  when 
we  get  back  home  again,  and  I  should  be  able  to  regain 
the  lands  of  the  M'AUisters  from  the  southern  churl 
who  has  dared  to  take  possession  of  them." 

"  They  are  not  very  extensive,  then,  I  conclude,"  I 
observed.  "  A  midshipman's  share  of  prize  money, 
even  for  the  richest  galleon  of  old  Spain,  would  not  go 
far  to  purchase  much  of  an  estate." 

"  Extensive !  my  boy ;  I  wish  you  could  just  come 
north  and  have  a  look  at  them,"  exclaimed  M'Allister. 
"  You  can't  see  from  one  end  to  the  other,  and  there  is 
the  finest  of  fine  old  towers,  which  would  be  perfectly 
habitable,  if  it  were  not  for  the  want  of  windows,  and 
floors,  and  doors,  and  other  woodwork ;  and  as  to  the 
lands,  to  be  sure  there  is  a  somewhat  considerable  pre- 
ponderance of  bog  and  moor,  but  oats  and  potatoes 
gfow  finely  on  the  hill-sides.  Ah,  my  boy,  I  know  well 
eno'.iiili  what's  what  —  the  value  of  rich  pastures  and 
corn-fields  —  Int  there's  nothing  like  the  home  of  one's 
ancestors  —  the  heathery  hills  of  old  Scotland  —  for  all 
that." 


252         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

My  shipmate  spoke  with  deep  feeling,  though  he  had 
begun  in  a  half-joking  vein.  Our  prisoner  joined  us, 
and  put  a  stop  to  the  conversation.  He  offered  to  go 
down  for  his  guitar,  and,  returning  with  it  on  deck,  he 
touched  the  strings,  and  sang  a  light  French  song  with 
much  taste  and  with  a  fair  voice.  We  complimented 
him  on  his  performance.      . 

"  Ah,  you  like  singing ;  I  will  t^ing  to  you  night  and 
day,  ma  foi."  He  observed,  "  It  is  a  satisfaction  to  a 
man  of  sentiment  to  give  pleasure  to  his  friends,  and  I 
look  upon  you  as  my  fi-iends  in  spite  of  our  relative 
positions.  They  arise  from  the  circumstances  of  war. 
We  are  friends  —  true  friends  —  why  should  we  be 
otherwise  ? "  Then  he  resumed  his  guitar  and  sang 
again  as  gaily  as  before. 

We  and  our  consort  kept  close  together,  and  as  the 
sailing  powers  of  the  two  vessels  were  pretty  equal, 
there  was  little  danger  of  our  being  separated.  Two 
days  after  this  it  fell  a  dead  calm.  There  we  lay,  not 
quite  steady,  but  rolling  gently  from  side  to  side,  moved 
by  the  scarcely  perceptible  and  glassy  undulations  which 
rose  under  our  keels.  The  sails  went  flap-flap  against 
the  masts  in  the  most  senseless  manner,  till  M'Allister 
ordered  them  to  be  furled  to  prevent  the  wear  and  tear 
they  were  undergoing.  As  to  the  heat,  T  had  never  be- 
fore felt  any  thing  like  it  in  the  tropics.  We  could  have 
baked  a  leg  of  mutton  almost,  much  more  fried  a  beef- 
steak, on  the  capstan-head,  while  below  a  dish  of  apples 
might  easily  have  been  stewed.  I  remembered  Mr. 
Johnson's  account  of  the  heat  in  the  West  Indies,  and 
began    to   fear    that    he    had    not    exaggerated    it.     It 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         258 

went  on  growing  hotter  and  hotter,  or  we  felt  the  heat 
more  and  more.  The  smoke  from  the  chimney  of  the 
galley  went  right  up  in  a  thin  column,  and  hung  in 
wreaths  over  our  heads,  while  that  from  our  cigars,  be- 
ing of  a  lighter  character,  ascended  above  our  noses, 
and  finally  disappeared  in  the  blue  quivering  air.  The 
Espoir  lay  within  hail  of  a  speaking  trumpet,  and  as 
we  had  nothing  else  to  do,  we  carried  on  an  animated 
conversation  with  each  other,  not  very  dignified,  but 
highly  amusing  to  all  concerned.  We  had  better  have 
held  our  tongues  I  suspect.  Any  depailure  from  dis- 
cipline is  bad.  The  Frenchmen  who  were  on  deck 
soon  began  to  imitate  our  example,  and,  as  they  mostly 
spoke  in  a  patois  or  jargon  which  we  of  course  could 
not  understand,  we  did  not  know  what  they  were  say- 
ing. I  thought  I  saw  a  peculiar  expression  on  the 
faces  of  some  of  them,  especially  when  now  and  then 
they  glanced  round  and  looked  at  our  men.  At  last,  I 
told  MAllister  that  I  fancied  the  Fi'enchmen  were  plot- 
ting treason,  and  that  it  would  be  wise  to  make  them 
hold  their  tongues.  He  laughed  at  the  notion,  and 
asked  if  I  supposed  a  set  of  frog-eating,  grinning 
Frenchmen  would  dare  to  lift  a  finger  against  such  a 
crew  of  bull-dog  Englishmen  as  were  our  men. 

"  I  cannot  say  they  wouldn't,"  I  answered ;  "  they 
fought  pretty  toughly  before  they  gave  in." 

"  Very  true,  but  they  had  a  chance  of  victory  then. 
Now  the  chances  would  be  all  against  them,  and  they 
might  expect  to  be  pitched  overboard  if  they  failed," 
he  replied,  turning  away  as  if  he  did  not  like  the  sug- 
gestion.    He,  however,  soon  after  hailed  Perigal,  to  say 

22 


254         MABMADUKE   MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

that  he  thought  we  had  had  enough  of  that,  and  then, 
turning  to  the  French  prisoners,  told  tliem  to  hold  their 
tongues.  After  a  time  a  mist  seemed  to  be  rising  over 
the  water,  but  the  heat  in  no  way  decreased. 

•'  There  is  something  coming,"  I  observed  to  McAllis- 
ter.    "  What  do  you  think  ?  " 

"  Christmas,  or  perhaps  a  breeze,"  he  answered  jok- 
ingly ;  "  both  to  all  appearances  equally  far  off.  I  see 
one  thing,  though,  which  would  make  me  rather  un- 
willing to  jump  overboard."  He  pointed  to  a  black 
triangular  object,  below  which  was  a  long  shadowy 
form  that  was  moving  slowly  round  the  ship.  "  What's 
that?" 

"  The  boatswain's  pet  shark,  I  suppose,"  said  I, 
laughing.  "  I  should  almost  expect  to  see  the  Doris 
coming  up  with  a  breeze  from  the  nor'ard," 

"  Just  jump  on  his  back.  Merry,  and  see  if  he  doesn't 
carry  you  off  up  to  the  frigate.  It  would  astonish  them 
not  a  little  to  see  you  coming,"  said  M'Allister. 

"  Thank  you,  I  leave  such  wonderful  pei'formances  to 
wonderful  people  like  Mr.  Johnson,"  said  I. 

Just  then  the  monster,  turning  up  the  white  of  his 
undersides,  made  a  dart  at  a  black  bottle  and  a  wisp 
of  hay  which  had  been  thrown  overboard  in  the  morn- 
ing.    Down  they  went  into  his  capacious  maw. 

"  Unpleasant  sort  of  pill.  I  won  Jer  if  the  glass  will 
cut  him,"  observed  M'Allister. 

I  shuddered,  for  I  could  not  help  thinking  what  would 
have  been  the  fate  of  any  tuman  being  who  might 
have  happened  to  be  overboard.  The  seamen  had 
found  out  their  enemy,  and  were  talking  about  him,  and 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         255 

watching  Lis  proceedings  with  suspicious  glances.  They 
have  an  idea  that  when  a  shark  follows  a  vessel  some 
one  is  about  to  die  on  board,  and  that  he  is  waiting  for 
the  coi-pse.  Sharks  have  been  known  to  follow  vessels 
for  days  togctlK-r,  but  undoubtedly  it  is  simply  that 
they  may  feed  on  the  offal  thrown  overboard.  Of 
course  if  any  seaman  happens  to  die  during  the  time, 
unless  he  is  lashed  up  in  a  hammock  with  a  shot  at 
his  feet,  they  are  likely  to  be  the  gainers.  I  have, 
however,  very  often  seen  them  following  a  ship  when 
nobody  has  died.  One  example  in  support  of  a  super- 
stitious idea  does  more  to  confirm  it  in  the  minds  of  the 
ignorant,  than  a  hundred  examples  on  the  opposite  side 
do  to  weaken  the  belief  in  it. 

Not  long  after  this,  Perigal  hailed  M'Allister,  and 
pointing  round  to  the  sky,  told  him  that  he  did  not  like 
the  look  of  things.  He  then  signed  to  us  to  strike  our 
topmasts,  and  make  every  thing  snug  aloft.  At  the  same 
moment  the  crew  of  the  Espoir  were  seen  swarming 
aloft  to  shorten  sail.  We  had  our  sails  lowered.  Hands 
were  now  sent  aloft  to  furl  them  carefully,  and  to  strike 
upper  yards  and  topmasts.  While  the  hands  were  thus 
engaged,  as  I  was  standing  by  the  compass  to  ascertain 
the  direction  of  the  schooner's  head,  I  saw  Perigal 
point  to  the  westward,  and  make  a  sign  to  the  men 
aloft  to  hurry  with  their  work.  I  did  the  same,  though 
we,  having  less  to  do,  were  ahead  in  our  proceedings 
of  our  consort.  I  saw  enough,  to  convince  me  that 
there  was  no  time  to  be  lost.  The  blackest  of  black 
clouds  had  gathei-ed  with  a  rapidity  scarcely  credible, 
and  were  rushing  on  toward  us  with  headlong  speed. 


256         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

It  was  not  as  is  often  the  case  when  a  storm  is  brewing, 
a  few  light  clouds  come  first,  like  the  skh-mishers  in 
advance  of  an  army ;  but  the  whole  body  came  on  in 
one  dense  mass,  the  sea  below  it  foaming,  and  hissing, 
and  curling  with  a  noise  which  we  could  hear  even 
before  the  wind  reached  us.  A  hurricane  was  coming, 
and  one  of  no  ordinary  violence. 

"  Lie  down !  lie.  down,  off  the  yards,  all  of  you," 
shouted  M'AUister.  The  men  required  no  second 
command.  A  glance  at  the  quickly  changing  sky  and 
water  told  them  what  was  approaching.  They  slid 
down  the  rigging,  and  in  silence  awaited  the  bursting 
of  the  tornado.  The  Frenchmen  who  were  on  deck 
looked  pale  and  anxious,  as  if  they  dreaded  the  conse- 
quences of  the  hurricane.  Bambrick  and  another  good 
hand  went  to  the  helm.  A  part  of  the  fore-staysail 
was  hoisted,  just  to  pay  the  vessel's  head  off.  "We 
were  not  long  kept  in  suspense.  "With  a  loud  hiss 
and  a  roar  like  thunder  the  hurricane  struck  us.  The 
schooner  heeled  over  to  the  gale  ;  I  thought  she  was 
going  over  altogether.  Many  fancied  so  likewise,  and 
cries  of  terror  escaped  from  several  of  the  Frenchmen. 
Lieutenant  Preville  uttered  an  expression  of  annoyance 
at  the  pusillanimity  of  his  countrymen. 

"  They  are  brave  gargons,  though,"  he  exclaimed, 
"  and  fight  like  heroes  with  mortal  foes  of  flesh  and 
blood ;  but  they  are  not  likfe  you  bull-dog  English,  who 
fear  neither  mortals  Hor  spirits,  and  would  do  battle 
with  the  prince  of  darkness  himself,  if  you  met  him 
in  the  open  seas  on  board  any  ci*aft  he  might  be  able 
to  charter." 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         257 

What  more  the  lieutenant  might  have  said  I  do  not 
know,  for  the  howling  of  the  tempest  drowned  his  voice. 
The  foaming  seas  began  to  rush  up  the  schooner's  deck, 
and  dense  masses  of  spraj  flew  over  her.  I  thought, 
indeed,  that  she  was  gone ;  but,  recovering  from  the 
effects  of  the  first  blast,  she  rose  a  little  when  her  stay- 
sail felt  the  force  of  the  wind.  Round  went  her  head : 
another  blast  stronger  than  the  first  blew  the  canvas 
from  the  bolt-ropes,  but  the  desired  ieffect  had  been 
produced,  and  away  she  flew  under  bare  poles  through 
the  ocean  of  seething  foam ;  the  wind  howling  and 
shrieking,  and  the  waters  hissing  and  roaring  as  we 
passed  over  them. 

Till  that  moment,  all  my  attention  having  been  con- 
centrated on  our  own  craft,  I  had  not  thought  of  our 
consort.  I  now  looked  out  for  her.  She  was  not  to  be 
found  in  the  direction  where  I  expected  to  see  her.  I 
cast  my  eyes  round  anxiously  on  every  side.  The  at- 
mosphere was  now  so  dense  with  spray  torn  up  from 
the  surface  of  the  ocean  that  the  extent  of  our  horizon 
was  much  limited.  Yet  I  fancied  that  we  must  stiU  be 
close  to  our  consort.  In  vain  I  looked  round.  I  called 
out  to  M'AUister  and  told  my  fears.  Certain  it  was 
that  the  Espoir  was  nowhere  to  be  seen.  I  felt  very 
sad.  I  could  not  help  dreading  that  the  Espoir  had 
been  struck  as  we  were,  and  being  less  prepared,  had 
capsized  and  gone  over.  .  I  thought  what  had  become 
of  poor  Gray,  my  constant  firm  friend,  and  honest 
Perigal,  and  I  pictured  to  myself  how  his  young  wife 
would  mourn  his  loss,  and  whether,  if  I  ever  got  home, 
I  should  have  to  go  and  tell  her  how  it  had  happened. 
22* 


258         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

I  remembered  that  huge  monster  of  a  shark,  which  had 
been  swimming  round  the  vessels,  and  I  bethought  me 
that  he  had  come  for  them  if  not  for  us.  I  was  not 
singular,  for  when  the  Espoir  was  missed  by  others,  as 
was  soon  the  case  when  they  began  to  lose  fear  for 
themselves,  I  heard  Bambrick  observe  to  his  companion 
at  the  helm,  "  I  thought  so  :  I  know'd  that  brute  hadn't 
come  for  nothing ;  they  always  knows  better  nor  we  or 
the  port-admiral  himself  what's  in  the  wind.  He  was 
as  sartain  sure  as  cheese  is  cheese  that  this  here  Harry- 
cane  was  a  coming  long  before  we'd  even  a  notion  that 
it  was  a  brewing." 

The  other  seaman  shook  his  head  with  a  grave  look, 
as  he  answered,  "  I  wonder  how  many  of  them  poor 
fellows  he's  got  down  his  hungry  maw  by  this  time  !  " 

Such  was  the  style  of  conversation  among  our  men. 
What  the  Frenchmen  were  saying  I  do  not  know. 
They  very  soon  recovered  their  spirits  and  courage,  and 
began  laughing  and  chattering,  and  dancing  about  the 
decks  in  higher  spirits  than  ever.  Perhaps  they  did 
not  always  intend  to  move,  but  the  now  fast  rising  seas 
gave  the  lively  little  vessel  sudden  and  unexpected 
jerks,  which  sent  them  jumping  forward  or  aft,  or  from 
side  to  side,  whenever  they  happened  not  to  be  holding 
on  to  any  thing.  Still  I  did  not  feel  that  we  were  al- 
together free  from  danger.  The  hurricane  blew  fiercer 
and  fiercer,  the  sea  got  up  also  rapidly,  and  threw  the 
vessel  about  in  a  way  which  made  it  very  difficult  to 
steer  before  it.  Fortunately  our  topmasts  were  housed, 
or  they  would  have  been  jerked  overboard.  I  asked 
M'AUister  what  he  proposed  doing. 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         259 

"  Doing  !  Why,  of  course,  scud  on  till  the  hurricane 
has  blown  itself  out,"  he  answered. 

"  But  doesn't  the  wind  sometimes  shift  in  a  hurri- 
cane, and  blow^  more  furiously  from  another  quarter  ?  " 
I  asked. 

"  Of  course  it  does,  and  perhaps  it  will,  and  we  shall 
be  blown  back  again  as  far  as  we  have  come,"  he  said, 
taking  a  look  at  the  compass. 

"  But  suppose  it  was  to  blow  us  back  further  than  we 
have  come,"  I  observed. 

"  Merry,  just  go  and  bring  the  chart  to  the  companion 
stair,"  was  his  answer.  "  It  will  be  blown  away  if  we 
have  it  on  deck,  and  I  cannot  go  below  just  now." 

I  brought  the  chart,  of  which  he  took  a  rapid  glance. 
Eastward,  as  we  were  now  driving,  we  had  plenty  of 
sea-room,  and  in  a  wholesome  craft  like  ours,  there  was 
nothing  to  fear ;  but  westward  there  was  the  coast  of 
Central  America,  fringed  by  rocks  and  sandbanks,  on 
which  many  a  noble  ship  has  been  stranded  since  Co- 
lumbus discovered  the  western  world. 

"  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  wind  will  not  shift,"  he 
answered.  "  It  does  not  always.  Don't  let  us  antici- 
pate evil." 

Lieutenant  Preville  inquired  what  we  were  talking 
about.  We  told  him.  He  shrugged  his  shoulders. 
"  Patience ;  the  fortune  of  war ;  we  seamen  must  al- 
ways be  subject  to  such  reverses,"  he  remarked. 

"  The  Frenchman  takes  things  easily,"  observed 
M'Allister.     "  I  wish  that  I  could  do  so." 

I  had  never  before  pictured  to  myself  what  a  West 
India   hurricane  really  was.     At  times  I  thouglit  that 


260         MABMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

the  schooner  would  be  blown  fairly  out  of  the  water. 

How  her  masts  remained  in  her  was  a  puzzle,  from  the 
way  she  jerked  and  rolled,  and  plunged  madly  onward, 
struggling  away  from  the  seas  which  seemed  every  mo- 
ment as  if  they  would  catch  and  overwhelm  her.  Even 
though  thus  flying  before  the  gale,  we  felt  as  if  we 
should  be  blown  down,  had  we  not  kept  a  good  grip  of 
the  bulwarks,  and  those  forward  had  hard  work  to  make 
their  way  aft.  Suddenly  there  was  a  lull.  The  effect 
was  curious  ;  I  can  liken  it  to  nothing  but  when,  by 
shutting  a  thick  door,  some  loud  hubbub  of  angry  voices 
is  no  longer  heard.  The  schooner  tumbled  about  just 
as  much  as  before,  or  even  more,  but,  instead  of  being 
driven  onward,  she  was  thrown  madly  from  wave  to 
wave,  backwards  and  forwards  ;  it  seemed  as  if  they 
were  playing  a  game  of  ball  with  her.  McAllister  or- 
dered me  to  hurry  forward  and  to  get  some  head-sail  on 
the  schooner.  Some  of  the  lower  parts  of  the  forestay- 
sail  remained.  There  was  no  time  to  bend  a  new  one. 
There  had  been  a  little  wind  before  ;  it  now  fell  a  dead 
calm  ;  the  smoke  of  a  cigar  would  have  ascended  as  it 
had  done  a  few  hours  before.  It  proved  but  treacher- 
ous :  I  positively  jumped  from  the  suddenness  with 
which  the  hurricane  again  struck  the  vessel,  and,  as  we 
had  apprehended,  from  the  eastward.  Happily  the  sail 
this  time  produced  the  desired  effect,  turning  her  head 
from  the  wind,  and  then  away  the  canvas  flew  from  the 
bolt-ropes  far  off  upon  the  gale.  Onward  we  drove  as 
before,  still  more  tossed  and  tumbled.  Had  our  friend. 
Colonel  Pinchard,  been  with  us,  he  would  have  had 
some  reason  to  complain  of  the  mal  de  mer.    The  Auda- 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         261 

cieuse  was  a  strong  tight  vessel,  or  she  would  have 
sprung  a  dozen  leaks  and  gone  down,  with  all  the  knock- 
ing about  she  got.  She,  however,  remained  as  dry  as  a 
bottle.  Still,  as  we  rushed  on,  every  instant  approach- 
ing nearer  and  nearer  the  rocks  and  sandbanks  of  the 
coast  of  Central  America,  our  anxiety  increased.  It 
was  vain  to  hope  that  we  could  heave  to,  or  in  any  way 
stop  our  mad  career.  We  had  done  all  that  could  be 
done,  and  had  now  only  calmly  to  wait  our  fate,  what- 
ever Providence  had  designed  that  should  be.  It  is 
under  such  circumstances  as  this,  that  the  courage  and 
resignation  of  men  are  most  severely  tried.  All  action 
has  of  necessity  ceased,  the  body  is  at  rest,  the  mind 
has  now  full  time  for  thought.  Numberless  acts  of  the 
past  life  rise  up  to  the  recollection,  many  a  deed,  and 
■  thought,  and  word,  which  must  bring  either  pain  or  fear  j 
principles  undergo  a  test  which  the  wrong  and  baseless 
cannot  bear.  Death  looks  terribly  near.  "What  can 
stand  a  man  in  good  stead  on  an  occasion  like  this  ? 
One  thing,  and  one  thing  alone  —  sound  Bible  religion  ; 
a  firm  faith  in  Him  who  took  our  nature  upon  Him,  and 
died  for  our  sins,  and  rose  again,  that  He  might  present 
us,  rising  with  Him,  faultless  before  the  throne  of  Grace. 
I  say  that  is  the  only  thing  that  can  make  a  man  feel 
perfectly  happy  under  such  circumstances.  I  have  seen 
many  men  stand  boldly  up  to  meet  expected  death,  who 
have  no  such  hope,  no  such  confidence  ;  but  their  cheeks 
have  been  pale,  their  lips  have  quivered,  and  oh,  the 
agony  depicted  in  their  eyes.  The  soul  was  speaking 
through  them,  and  told  of  its  secret  dread.  Let  no  one 
be  deceived  by  the  outward  show,  the  gallant  bearing 


262        MARMADTTKE   MERRT,   THE   mDSHIPMAN. 

of  a  man.     Too  often,  all  within  is  terror,  horror  un- 
speakable, of  the  near-approaching,  unknown  future. 

"We  had  still  a  long  way  to  drive  before  we  could 
reach  the  neighborhood  of  the  dreadful  shoals  and  reefs. 
Most  of  the  men,  probably,  were  ignorant  of  the  risks 
we  were  about  to  encounter.  Happily,  perhaps,  for  sea- 
men, they  seldom  realize  danger  till  it  presents  itself 
palpably  before  them.  The  Frenchmen,  after  a  time 
gaining  confidence,  began  to  laugh  and  joke  as  before. 
Our  men  stood  calm  and  grave  at  their  posts.  Not  that 
they  saw  danger  or  felt  fear,  but  that  they  were  engaged 
in  their  duty,  and  knew  that  much  depended  on  their 
steadiness  and  courage.  Night  came  on  ;  it  was  far 
more  trying  than  the  day.  I  felt  very  tired ;  but  as  to 
turning  in,  that  was  out  of  the  question.  Hours  after 
hours  we  flew  on,  plunging  headlong  through  the  dark- 
ness, and  often,  to  my  excited  imagination,  strange 
shrieks  and  cries  seemed  to  come  out  of  the  obscurity. 
Once,  as  we  flew  on,  as  I  stood  watching  black  masses 
of  water  rising  on  our  quarter  and- rolling  on  abeam  of 
us,  I  fancied  that  I  saw  a  large  ship,  her  hull  with  her 
lofty  masts  towering  up  to  the  skies  close  to  us.  It  ap- 
peared as  if  another  send  of  the  sea  would  have  driven 
us  aboard  her.  I  thought  that  I  could  distinguish  people 
leaning  over  her  bulwarks  watching  us  with  longing 
eyes.  There  was  a  gush  of  waters  from  her  scuppers. 
I  could  hear  the  clang  of  the  pumps ;  she  was  already 
deep  in  the  water,  rolling  heavily  ;  cries  arose  from  her 
decks  ;  lower  and  lower  she  sank.  I  watched  her  with 
straining  eyes.  A  dark  sea  rose  up  between  her  and 
the  schooner.     She  was  no  longer  where  she  had  been ; 


MAEMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         263 

the  tracery  of  her  masts  and  rigging  appeared  for  an 
instant  above  the  water,  and  then  sank  forever.  I 
uttered  a  cry  of  regret.  McAllister  shouted  to  me,  and 
asked  me  why  I  had  gone  to  sleep.  I  declared  that  I 
had  been  wide  awake,  and  told  him  what  I  had  seen. 

"  You've  sharper  eyes  than  any  one  else,"  he  an- 
swered. "  You  must  have  been  asleep  ;  we  passed  no 
ship,  depend  on  that." 

I  insisted  on  it  that  we  had,  and  that  he  had  not  been 
looking  out  as  I  had  ;  and  from  that  day  to  this  day  I 
am  uncertain  which  was  right.  I  must,  however,  own 
that  none  of  the  men  had  seen  the  sinking  ship  ;  but 
then  I  hold  that  neither  were  they  looking  out ;  and  it 
was  but  a  few  moments  that  she  was  in  sight. 

"  Had  all  on  board  seen  her,  we  could  have  rendered 
her  hapless  crew  no  assistance,"  I  thought  to  myself; 
"  so  it  does  not  signify." 

On  we  drove.  I  never  spent  a  more  trying  night  at 
sea.  I  thought  the  morning  never  would  come,  or  the 
gale  end.  The  morning,  however,  did  come,  as  it  always 
does  for  those  who  wait  for  it.  "We  were  still  driving  on 
furiously,  and  as  the  cold  gray  light  of  the  early  dawn 
broke  on  the  world  of  waters,  the  tossing  ocean  seemed 
more  foam-covered  and  agitated  than  even  on  the  pre- 
vious day.  I  could  see  no  signs  of  the  cessation  of  the 
hurricane,  nor  did  M'Allister.  Bambrick,  however, 
observed  that  he  thought  there  was  less  wind,  and  that 
it  blew  with  more  steadiness  than  before.  The  French- 
men gave  no  opinion  ;  indeed,  most  of  them  were  below 
asleep.  I  worked  my  way  forward  to  look  out  ahead. 
T  stood  by  the  side  of  the  man  stationed  there  for  some 
minutes. 


264  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

"  The  sea  is  terribly  broken  away  on  the  starboard 
bow  there,"  I  said. 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  don't  like  the  looks  of  it,"  was  the  answer 
as  we  continued  gazing.  "We  did  not  speak  again  for 
some  minutes.     It  was  as  I  feared  though. 

"  Breakers  !  breakers  ahead  !  "  we  both  simultane- 
ously shouted.  "  Breakers !  breakers  on  the  starboard 
bow  ! " 

"  Starboard  the  helm,"  cried  M'Allister,  in  a  deep 
tone,  without  the  slightest  sign  of  agitation.  It  was 
doubtful  if  the  vessel  would  feel  the  effect  of  the  helm 
sufficiently  to  prevent  her  drifting  bodily  to  leeward. 
On  we  drove.  Another  moment  might  see  the  vessel 
and  all  on  board  hurled  to  destruction.  The  stoutest 
vessel  ever  built  could  not  hold  together  for  two  minutes 
should  she  strike  on  rock  or  sandbank  with  the  awful 
sea  then  running  dashing  over  her.  I  drew  my  breath 
short  and  clenched  my  teeth  as  we  approached  the 
broken  water.  The  spray  flew  over  our  mast  heads. 
Still  we  did  not  strike ;  the  dreaded  breakers  appeared 
abeam.  We  had  passed  the  head  of  a  bank  or  reef. 
I  saw  some  rocks  and  sand  with  a  few  trees  in  the  dis- 
tance, probably  part  of  an  island,  easily  discerned  under 
ordinary  circumstances  above  water.  The  danger  for 
the  moment  was  past,  but  there  was  no  doubt  that  we 
had  reached  that  portion  of  the  Caribbean  sea  most 
studded  with  danger.  Any  moment  we  might  again  be 
among  reefs.  All  we  could  do  was  to  look  out  ahead, 
and  pray  and  hope  that  we  might  escape  them,  as  we 
had  done  the  first.  Half  an  hour  or  twenty  minutes 
passed  ;  some  tall  palm-trees  amid  the  misty  atmosphere 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         265 

appeared  bending  to  the  breeze  on  the  larboard  bow.  It 
was  doubtful  whether  reefs  might  not  run  out  to  the 
northward,  and  if  so  we  could  scarcely  escape  striking 
on  them.  The  helm  was,  however,  put  to  port,  that  we 
might  pass  as  far  as  we  could  from  the  island.  M'AUis- 
ter  hurried  forward,  and,  taking  a  steady  look,  declared 
his  conviction  that  there  was  a  reef  to  the  northward  of 
the  island,  and  that  if  we  could  get  a  little  sail  on  the 
schooner,  we  might  run  under  its  lee  and  ride  in  safety 
till  the  tempest  was  over.  The  very  thought  of  the 
possibility  of  this  renewed  our  spirits.  The  wind  had 
certainly  lessened.  Rousing  up  the  Frenchmen  to  lend 
a  hand,  we  got  a  main-trysail  and  fore-staysail  hoisted. 
The  little  craft  heeled  over  as,  once  more  putting  the 
helm  to  starboard,  we  brought  her  closer  to  the  wind,  in 
a  way  which  made  it  seem  probable  that  she  would 
never  recover  herself;  but  she  did,  though  ;  and  now  we 
flew  on,  plunging  through  the  seas  which  broke  on  our 
larboard  quarter  toward  the  island.  We  drove,  of  course, 
to  leeward  very  fast,  but  still  we  had  hopes  that  we  might 
round  its  northern  end  before  we  drove  past  it  altogether. 
Everybody  on  board  stood  clustered  on  deck,  watching 
the  island,  and  ever  and  anon  casting  anxious  glances 
at  the  canvas.  It  stood  now,  though  an  hour  before  it 
would  not  have  done  so.     We  approached  the  island. 

"  Breakers  !  breakers  on  the  starboard  bow !  breakers 
on  the  larboard  bow  ! "  shouted  the  men  forward.  I 
caught  sight  of  some  less  broken  water  ahead.  We 
steered  toward  it.  In  another  moment  our  fate  would 
be  decided.  We  flew  on  ;  the  sea  broke  terrifically  on 
either  hand,  but  the  schooner  did  not  strike.  The 
23 


266         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

water  became  calmer  —  the  island  grew  more  and 
more  abeam.  We  flattened  in  the  canvas,  and,  standing 
toward  the  land,  in  another  ten  minutes  found  ourselves 
in  a  sheltered  bay,  where,  though  our  mastheads  still 
felt  the  force  of  the  gale,  the  wind  scarcely  reached  us  on 
deck.  Our  anchor  was  dropped  and  we  rode  in  safety. 
I  could  have  fallen  on  my  knees  and  thanked  Heaven 
for  our  merciful  preservation  from  so  many  dangers,  but 
such  an  act  was  not  in  accordance  with  our  usual  habits, 
and  I  was  kept  back  from  fear  of  what  my  companions 
would  say.  How  miserable  and  contemptible  is  such 
a  feeling !  We  are  not  afraid  of  displeasing  our  all- 
beneficent  Creator,  or  appearing  ungrateful  for  His 
mercies,  and  we  are -afraid  of  the  ridicule  of  our  fellow- 
men,  or  even  of  a  sneer  from  the  lips  of  those  we  despise 
the  most.  I  dare  say,  if  the  truth  were  known,  that 
M'AUister,  Bambrick,  and  others  felt  exactly  as  I  did, 
and  yet  we  were  positively  afraid  of  showing  our  feel- 
ings to  each  other.  What  a  contrast  did  our  present 
position  exhibit  to  the  wild  tossing  to  and  fro,  and  the 
strife  of  elements  we  had  just  passed  through.  Here 
(for  the  wind  dropped  rapidly)  all  was  calm  and  quiet ; 
the  mist  dissipated,  the  sun  shone  forth,  and  the  blue 
waters  of  the  bay  sparkled  as  they  rippled  gently  on  the 
light  yellow  sand,  strewed  with  numberless  beautifully- 
colored  shells ;  while  numerous  tall  palm-trees  and 
shrubs  of  lower  growth  formed  a  bright  fringe  of  green 
round  the  shores  of  the  bay. 

As  we  wanted  water,  and  all  agreed  that  some  fresh 
cocoa-nuts  would  be  very  pleasant,  I  took  a  boat  with 
four  hands,  two  Englishmen  and  two  Frenchmen,  and, 


MAEMADUKE   MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPIVIAN.         267 

accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Preville,  pulled  on  shore. 
I  also  took  a  fowling-piece,  in  the  hopes  of  getting  a 
shot  at  some  birds.  There  was  no  lack  of  cocoa-nuts, 
which  the  hurricane  had  blown  off  on  the  ground,  many 
of  the  trees  themselves  being  laid  prostrate.  We  had  to 
hunt  about  some  time  before  we  found  a  spring.  At 
length  we  came  on  one  overshadowed  by  trees,  where,  by 
cleai'ing  away  the  ground  with  our  spades,  we  could  fill 
our  casks.  I  with  the  two  Englishmen  were  still  at  the 
spring,  when  the  French  lieutenant  and  his  two  coun- 
trymen were  rolling  down  a  cask  to  the  boat.  I  fol- 
lowed, and  when  yet  at  some  distance,  I  saw  the 
Frenchman  step  into  the  boat  and  begin  shoving  off.  I 
ran  on,  and  having  some  bullets  in  my  waistcoat  pocket, 
I  dropped  one  down  the  barrel  of  my  fowling-piece, 
which  I  presented  at  the  lieutenant's  head,  ordering  him 
to  come  back.  He  did  not  at  first  pay  any  attention  to 
my  threats ;  I  hailed  again,  and  told  him  that  I  had 
loaded  with  a  bullet,  and  that  I  did  not  approve  of  the 
joke  he  was  playing.  I  at  the  same  time  saw  some  of 
the  Frenchmen  on  board  the  schooner  making  signs  to 
him.  Suddenly,  he  turned  round,  as  if  he  had  only  just 
seen  me,  and  the  boat  pulled  back  to  the  shore. 

"  I  demand  a  thousand  pardons,  monsieur,"  he  ex- 
claimed, with  the  blandest  of  smiles.  "  I  was  only 
joking,  but  I  am  afraid  from  your  countenance,  that  my 
vivacity  carried  me  too  far."  He  went  on  for  a  consid- 
erable time  in  this  style,  till  my  two  men  came  down 
with  their  cask,  and  then,  shoving  off,  we  returned  on 
board.  I  asked  M'AUister  if  he  had  observed  any 
thing  peculiar  in  the  behavior  of  the  prisoners  while  I 
was  on  shore. 


268         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

"  I  was  below  for  a  short  time,  and  when  I  came  on 
deck  I  found  them  clustering  on  the  rigging  forward," 
be  answered  carelessly.  "  I  called  them  down,  as  it  is 
against  orders,  and  they  immediately  obeyed." 

I  told  him  of  the  odd  conduct  of  Lieutenant  Preville, 
but  he  observed  that  he  thought  it  was  only  the  FrencJj- 
man's  joke,  though  it  might  be  wise  to  keep  a  stricter 
look-out  on  the  prisoners  than  we  had  lately  done.  We 
had  little  time,  however,  for,  pretty  well  worn  out  with 
the  fatigues  we  had  endured  for  the  last  four-and-twen- 
ty  hours,  we  were  glad  to  take  the  opportunity  of  being 
in  a  snug  harbor  to  turn  in  and  go  to  sleep.  Before 
doing  so,  however,  I  told  Barabrick,  who  had  charge  of 
the  deck,  to  direct  the  sentry  placed  over  the  prisoners, 
to  keep  his  weather  eye  open,  lest  they  should  play  us 
any  trick.  Tops  are  said  to  sleep  soundly ;  I  know  from 
experience  that  midshipmen  do.  From  the  moment  I 
put  my  head  on  the  pillow  it  seemed  but  a  moment  that 
I  was  roused  up  to  keep  the  morning  watch.  I  found 
a  light  breeze  blowing  from  the  southward.  It  would 
not  do  to  lose  this  opportunity  of  getting  clear  out  to 
sea  again :  so  I  went  down  to  M'AUister,  who  soon 
joined  me,  and  agreed  that  I  was  right.  The  anchor 
was  weighed,  and  under  easy  sail  we  ran  out  through 
the  passage  by  which  we  had  entered  this  harbor  of 
refuge.  As  I  looked  on  the  rocks  on  either  side,  now 
showing  their  dark  heads  above  water,  it  seemed  won- 
derful how,  with  so  terrific  a  hurricane  blowing,  we  had 
safely  entered.  How  often  thus  through  life  are  we 
steered  safely  by  a  merciful  Providence,  amidst  hosts 
of  dangers  which  we  do  not  at  the  time  see,  and  for 


MARMADUKE   MERRT,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         269 

protection  against  which  we  are  but  too  often  most  mis- 
erably unthankful.  We  were  soon  clear  of  the  island, 
but  it  was  necessary  to  keep  a  very  bright  look-out  to 
avoid  running  on  the  reefs  which  we  had  before  escaped. 
Several  times  we  saw  rocks  on  either  hand,  and  break- 
ers still  dashing  wildly  up,  showing  that  reefs  or  banks 
were  there,  and  more  and  more  astonished  were  we 
that  we  had  passed  between  -them  in  safety.  Lieuten- 
ant Preville  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  It  would  need  a  good  pilot  to  carry  a  vessel  in  safe- 
ty between  those  reefs  as  we  came  yesterday,"  he  ob- 
served. "  But,  after  all,  the  best  pilot  is  the  Goddess 
Chance,  who  guided  us." 

"  Chance,  monsieur  !  Chance  !  "  exclaimed  M'AUis- 
ter,  with  a  vehemence  in  which  he  seldom  indulged. 
"  I  do  not  believe  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  chance, 
much  less  a  goddess.  I  am  not  going  to  discuss  the 
subject,  only  don't  talk  to  me  of  chance." 

The  Frenchman  again  shrugged  his  shoulders,  hoped 
that  he  had  not  given  offence,  and  walked  away,  hum- 
ming a  tune.  He  continued,  however,  as  polite  and 
obliging  as  at  first.  He  declared  that  we  wanted  a  good 
dinner  after  our  labors,  and  insisted  on  cooking  it.  He 
outshone  himself,  and  with  some  shell-fish  we  had  picked 
up,  and  two  birds  I  had  shot,  produced  some  wonderful- 
ly delicious  dishes.  The  wind  held  fair,  but  it  was 
light,  and  it  required  us  constantly  to  be  on  the  look-out 
to  thread  our  way  among  the  dangers  which  surrounded 
us.  Our  anxiety,  too,  was  very  great  for  the  fate  of 
our  consort.  She  was  nowhere  to  be  seen,  and  our 
fears  were  increased  that  she  had  gone  down  when 
23* 


270         MARMADTJKE    MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

first  struck  by  the  hurricane.  "We  did  not  breathe 
freely  till  we  were  well  out  at  sea,  clear  of  all  reefs  and 
shoals.  Lieutenant  Preville  especially  complimented  us 
on  the  seamanship  we  had  displayed,  and  assured  us  that 
it  was  a  great  satisfaction  to  him  to  have  been  our  ship- 
mate through  so  trying  an  event.  M'Allister  and  I 
now  agreed  that  if  we  did  not  fall  in  with  the  Espoir,  it 
was  undoubtedly  our  duty  to  return  to  Jamaica.  We 
accordingly  cruised  about  for  two  days,  and  then  shaped 
a  course  for  that  island.  The  next  night  it  was  my 
middle  watch  on  deck.  It  had  struck  seven  bells,  and  I 
was  contemplating  the  satisfaction  I  should  feel  in  turn- 
ing in  and  going  to  sleep,  when  I  suddenly  found  the 
French  lieutenant  walking  by  my  side.  This  was 
against  rule,  as  none  of  the  prisoners  were  allowed  to 
come  on  deck  at  night  without  the  permission  of  the 
officer  of  the  watch.  He  apologized,  saying  that  he 
was  oppressed  with  the  heat,  and  knew  that  I  would 
allow  him  to  come.  In  a  little  time  he  professed  to 
see  a  light  ahead,  and  induced  me  to  walk  forward  to 
look  at  it.  Just  as  I  was  abreast  of  the  foremast  I 
found  ray  arms  seized,  a  gag  thrust  into  my  mouth,  and 
a  handkerchief  bound  over  my  eyes,  so  that  I  could 
neither  struggle,  cry  out,  nor  see  what  was  going  for- 
ward. The  horrible  conviction  came  on  me  that  the 
Frenchmen  were  attempting  to  recapture  the  vessel. 
I  hoped  that  M'Allister  might  be  awake,  as.  he  was 
so  soon  to  relieve  me.  The  suspense,  however,  was 
terrible.  I  found  myself  secured  to  the  bulwarks,  and 
left  to  my  cogitations.  I  argued  the  worst,  because 
there  was   no  cry ;    no  shots  fired.     There    I   sat,  it 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  271 

seemed  an  age,  listening  for  some  sounds.  I  was  almost 
sure  that  the  Frenchman  had  mastered  all  our  people 
on  deck,  even  Ned  Bambrick.  At  length  I  heard  one 
French  seaman  speaking ;  he  was  making  a  report  to 
Lieutenant  Pr^ville.  A  loud  cheer  was  the  response, 
"  Vive  I'Empereur,  vive  la  France  ! "  I  knew  full  well 
by  this,  that  they  were  in  entire  possession  of  the  vessel. 
My  heart  sank  within  me.  It  was  bad  enough  to  lose 
our  prize ;  it  would  be  worse  to  be  thrown  overboard, 
or  to  have  our  throats  cut.  I  did  not,  however,  think 
that  the  Frenchmen  would  do  that.  They  would  take 
very  good  care,  though,  that  we  did  not  regain  the 
vessel.  Such  being  the  case,  I  really  felt  almost  indif- 
ferent as  to  what  became  of  us.  After  all  the  civility  we 
had  shown  Lieutenant  Preville,  I  thought  that  he  might 
as  well  have  released  me  from  my  uncomfortable  posi- 
tion, with  my  arms  lashed  tightly  behind  me,  and  a  gag 
in  my  mouth.  I  heard  some  orders  issued  in  French, 
and  the  blocks  rattling,  and  yards  creaking,  as  if  the 
sails  were  being  trimmed,  and  the  schooner's  course 
altered.  Hour  after  hour  passed  by,  at  last  I  fell  asleep 
with  a  crick  in  my  neck,  and  the  sound  of  a  Frenchman's 
voice  in  my  ear. 

"  Oh  pauvre  miserable  ! "  said  the  voice ;  "  why  we 
forgot  him." 

Such  was  the  fact,  not  very  complimentary  to  my 
importance.  I  had  been  ovei'looked.  The  speaker 
took  the  handkerchief  off  my  eyes.  It  was  daylight, 
and  the  schooner  was  running  under  all  sail  before  a 
fair  breeze. 

Lieutenant  Preville  soon  appeared,  and,  telling  the 


272         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

men  to  cast  me  loose,  invited  me,  in  a  tone  of  irony, 
I  fancied,  to  join  my  brother  otficer  at  breakfast  with 
him. 

Poor  M'AUister  looked  dreadfully  cast  down.  We 
took  our  seats  in  silence.  Our  host,  who  had  yesterday 
been  our  guest,  was  in  high  spirits. 

"  It  is  the  fortune  of  war,  you  well  know.  Monsieur 
Merry,"  he  observed  with  a  provoking  smile.  "  Brave 
gar^ons  like  you  know  how  to  bear  such  reverses  with 
equanimity.  I  can  feel  for  you,  though,  believe  me. 
Monsieur  M'AUister,  I  drink  to  your  health,  though  I 
fear  that  you  will  not  be  a  lieutenant  as  soon  as  you 
expected.  Here,  take  some  of  this  claret,  it  will  revive 
your  spirits." 

My  messmate  seized  the  decanter  of  wine,  which  it 
is  the  custom  of  the  French  to  have  on  the  table  at 
breakfast,  and  drank  off  a  large  tumbler.  He  drew  a 
long  breath  after  he  had  done  so. 

"  You  have  the  advantage  of  us  this  time  undoubt- 
edly, Monsieur  Preville,"  he  exclaimed  bitterly ;  "  but 
a  day  will  come  when  we  shall  meet  together  on  equal 
terms,  and  then,  I  hope,  as  brave  men  we  shall  fight  it 
out  to  the  death." 

"  With  pleasure,  assuredly,"  answered  the  French- 
man, with  the  politest  of  bows  and  smiles.  "  But  in 
the  mean  time  you  must  endeavor  to  restrain  your 
impetuosity.  At  present  it  would  be  impossible  to  give 
you  the  satisfaction  you  require." 

"  Poor  M'AUister  ground  his  teeth ;  the  words  were 
taunting,  but  the  expression  of  the  Frenchman's  coun- 
tenance was  more  so.     He  would  have  sprung  up  and 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         273 

fought  him  then  and  there,  with  carving-knives  or  any 
weapons  at  hand ;  but  he  restrained  himself  for  a  good 
reason.  The  Heutenant  had  a  brace  of  loaded  pistols 
by  his  side  on  the  table,  and  two  seamen  stood  on 
either  side  of  us  with  loaded  muskets,  ready  to  blow 
out  our  brains,  had  we  exhibited  any  signs  of  insubor- 
dination. M'Allister  went  on  eating  his  bi'eakfast  in 
silence. 

The  lieutenant  pointed  to  the  men  and  to  his  pistols. 

"  These  are  to  do  you  honor,"  he  observed.  "  They 
are  the  greatest  compliment  we  can  pay  to  your  bravery. 
Unless  you  were  handcuffed,  I  should  not  think  myself 
safe  a  moment." 

"  We  did  not  treat  you  so,"  I  remarked. 

"  No  my  friend,"  he  replied,  smiling ;  "  but  you  are 
prisoners,  and  T  have  regained  command  of  my  schooner." 

I  had  not  a  word  to  say,  but  I  resolved  to  profit  by 
the  lesson  in  my  future  career. 

We  were  not  allowed  to  communicate  with  any  of 
our  men,  who  were  kept  under  strict  watch  forward, 
and  only  permitted  to  come  on  deck  one  at  a  time,  in 
charge  of  a  sentry.  M'Allister  and  I  even  had  no  op- 
portunity of  communicating  with  each  other.  When  we 
went  on  deck,  an  armed  man  walked  up  and  down  by 
our  side,  and  when  we  approached  the  compass,  we 
were  ordered  away,  so  that  we  could  not  tell  what 
course  we  were  steering,  except  by  guessing  from  the 
position  of  the  sun. 

Of  course,  with  all  the  care  the  Frenchmen  took,  we 
had  very  little  hopes  of  being  able  to  retake  the  schoon- 
er.    Neither  could  we  tell  what  was  to  be  done  with  us, 


274         MAKMADUKE   MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

nor  did  Lieutenant  Pr^ville  think  fit  to  inform  us. 
After  all  our  anticipations  of  prize  money  and  pleasure 
on  shore,  to  have  tlie  inside  of  a  French  prison  alone  in 
view,  was  very  galling  to  our  feelings.  M'Allister  could 
do  nothing  but  mourn  his  hard  fate,  and  mutter  threat- 
enings  against  France  and  Frenchmen  should  he  ever 
regain  his  liberty.  Our  only  hope  was  that  one  of  our 
own  cruisers  might  fall  in  with  the  Audacieuse,  and 
that  we  might  thus  be  set  at  liberty.  Consequently, 
whenever  we  were  on  deck  we  scanned  the  horizon 
anxiously,  resolved,  if  we  caught  sight  of  a  sail,  not  to 
give  the  Frenchmen  too  early  a  notice  of  the  fact.  At 
last  one  day  we  lay  becalmed  while  a  thick  mist  had 
settled  down  over  the  ocean.  I  began  to  fear  that  we 
wei'e  going  to  have  another  hurricane.  The  French- 
men did  not  think  so,  but  took  things  very  easily.  The 
look-out  came  down  from  aloft,  and,  except  the  man 
who  was  placed  as  sentry  over  us,  all  hands  employed 
themselves  in  mending  their  clothes  and  in  other  similar 
occupations.  The  man  at  the  helm  stood  leaning  on 
the  tiller,  lazily  watching  his  compaiuon.  Suddenly  to 
the  westward  I  saw  the  mist  lift,  and,  directly  under  the 
canopy  thus  formed,  I  distinctly  saw  a  large  ship  stand- 
ing down  under  all  sail  toward  us.  I  was  afraid  by 
word  or  sign  to  point  her  out  to  M'Allister,  and  dreaded 
lest  the  expression  of  my  countenance  might  draw  the 
attention  of  any  of  the  crew  toward  her.  She  could 
not  fail  to  pass  close  to  us  if  she  continued  on  the  course 
she  was  steering.  I  only  hoped  that  the  mist  would 
lift  again,  in  time  to  show  the  Audacieuse  to  those  on 
board  her.     The  mist  seemed  much  to  my  satisfaction 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         275 

to  be  settling  down  again,  when  at  that  instant  Lieuten- 
ant Pr^ville  came  on  deck.  His  quick  eye  instantly 
detected  the  stranger.  Having  uttered  some  forcible 
expletives  as  to  his  opinion  of  his  crew's  conduct  in  not 
keeping  a  better  look-out,  he  ordered  the  sails  to  be 
trimmed,  and  every  stitch  of  canvas  the  schooner  could 
carry  to  be  set  in  readiness  for  the  coming  breeze. 
M'Allister's  and  my  eagerness  may  be  easily  conceived. 
We  both  had  an  idea  that  the  ship  was  English,  and 
that  she  would  bring  up  the  breeze.  What  was  our 
disappointment,  then,  when  we  saw  the  schooner's  sails 
filling  out.  Away  she  glided  before  the  breeze.  The 
mist  soon  afterwards  entirely  cleared  away,  and  ex- 
hibited the  stranger  about  two  miles  off.  By  her  build 
and  the  cut  of  her  sails  she  was  English.  When  she 
saw  us,  all  sail  was  made  on  board  her ;  but  the  Auda- 
cieuse  had  a  fast  pair  of  heels,  and  it  was  soon  evident 
that  she  was  leaving  her  pursuer  far  astern.  Our  hopes 
sank  and  sank,  and  by  nightfall  we  had  run  her  out  of 
sight.  When  morning  returned  the  stranger  was  no- 
where to  be  seen. 

Four  days  thus  passed  by.  They  were  far  from 
agreeable  ones.  Early  on  the  sixth  we  found  a  sub- 
stantial breakfast  on  the  table,  and  after  we  had  pai-- 
taken  of  it  with  a  suspicion  that  it  was  to  be  our  last  on 
board,  we  were  ordered  on  deck.  Here  we  found  the 
schooner  hove  to,  and  all  our  people  assembled,  while 
alongside  lay  one  of  the  schooner's  boats,  with  oars  and 
masts  and  sails,  a  water  cask,  and  some  hampers  and 
cases  of  provisions.  There  was  a  tarpaulin,  and  the 
boat  was  fitted  in  other  respects  as  far  as  she  could  be 
to  perform  a  long  voyage. 


276         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

"There,  my  friends,"  observed  the  lieutenant;  "I 
wish  to  part  with  you  on  friendly  terms.  I  do  not 
desire  to  keep  you  as  prisoners,  as  I  am  bound  on  a  long 
cruise,  and  I  hope  that  you  may  regain  your  own  ship 
in  safety.  I  will  give  you  your  course  for  Jamaica, 
which  you  may  reach  in  a  week  ;  farewell." 

We  had  not  a  word  to  say  against  this  arrangement, 
so,  thanking  the  Frenchman  for  his  courtesy,  we  fol- 
lowed our  men,  who  had  before  been  ordered  into  the 
boats.  Even  M'AUister  could  not  help  putting  out  his 
hand  and  exclaiming,  "  You  are  brave,  as  ax'e  most 
Frenchmen,  but  you  are  honest  and  kind-hearted,  and 
that  is  more  than  I,  for  one,  will  say  of  some  of  your 
countrymen. 

The  lieutenant  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  laughed 
as  he  shook  our  hands.  He  was  in  high  good  spirits, 
as  well  he  might  be.  We  stepped  into  the  boat,  and  he 
waved  his  hand ;  we  shoved  off,  and  bowing  as  politely 
as  we  could  force  ourselves  to  do,  we  hoisted  our  sails, 
and  shaped  a  course  for  Jamaica.  Tlie  Audacieuse 
filled,  and  then,  hauling  her  wind,  stood  away  to  the 
eastward. 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         277 


CHAPTER    XII. 

It  was  satisfactory  to  be  once  more  at  liberty,  but  a 
voyage  in  an  open  boat  across  the  Caribbean  sea,  when 
it  was  possible  that  we  might  have  to  encounter  another 
hurricane,  was  not  altogether  an  exploit  we  should  have 
undertaken  if  we  had  had  our  choice.  However,  as  we 
had  plenty  of  provisions  and  enough  water,  we  had  no 
reason  to  complain.  We  found,  indeed,  on  looking  over 
our  stores  to  select  some  food  for  our  dinner,  that  thei"e 
were  a  dozen  of  claret  and  six  bottles  of  brandy. 

"  Really,  that  fellow  Preville  is  a  trump,"  I  exclaimed, 
as  I  poured  out  a  glass  of  the  former,  and  handed  it  to 
McAllister.  "  We'll  drink  his  health,  for  he  deserves  it. 
Come,  rouse  up,  my  boy.  It's  good  liquor  ;  you'll  not 
deny  that." 

"  I'll  drink  his  health  and  long  life  to  him,  that  we 
may  have  a  better  chance  of  meeting  together  in  mortal 
combat,"  answered  my  messmate,  gloomily.  "  To  have 
our  hard-won  prize  stolen  out  of  our  hands  in  this  way 
—  it's  more  than  I  can  bear.  And  to  have  to  make  our 
appearance  on  board  the  frigate  without  our  vessel,  and 
to  report  the  loss  of  poor  Perigal  and  the  others,  is  even 
worse." 

I  did  my  best  to  rouse  up  McAllister,  and  to  make 
him  see  matters  in  a  more  cheerful  light,  but  it  was  no 
easy  matter.  He  was  ever  dwelling  on  the  fact  that  the 
prize  had  been  placed  under  his  charge,  and  that  he  had 

24 


278         MAEMADUKE    MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

lost  her.  I  was  sometimes  almost  afraid  that,  if  not 
watched  at  night,  he  would  be  jumping  overboard,  so 
gloomy  did  he  become.  Bambrick  entertained  the  same 
idea  also,  I  suspected,  and  I  was  glad  to  see  that  he 
watched  him  narrowly.  We  ako  did  our  best  to  amuse 
him,  and  I  got  the  men  to  sing  songs  and  spin  yarns 
from  morning  till  night.  Only  one  story  told  by  Ned 
Bambrick  seemed  to  afford  him  much  amusement. 

"  You  must  know,  sir,  when  I  was  paid  off  during  the 
last  peace,  I  joined  a  South  Sea  whaler.  You've  heard 
tell  of  Botany  Bay.  Well,  that's  nowhere,  or  that's  to 
say,  it  is  not  the  place  where  they  send  prisoners.  But 
there's  a  fine  harbor  near  it,  which  they  call  Port  Jack- 
son, and  up  it  there's  a  town  which  they  call  the  Camp, 
but  which  has  now  got  the  name  of  Sydney.  It's  what- 
they  call  a  colony ;  that's  to  say,  a  good  number  of  peo- 
ple of  all  sorts,  besides  convicts,  goes  out  there,  and 
they've  a  governor  set  over  them,  who  rules  the  land 
just  like  any  king.  He's  a  right,  ]-eal  sort  of  a  gover- 
nor, to  my  mind,  for  he  makes  the  laws  and  sees  that 
they  are  obeyed  too.  He  won't  stand  no  nonsense,  and 
though  he  doesn't  wear  a  wig  and  gown,  like  the  judges 
at  home,  he  sits  in  a  court  and  tries  all  them  who  doesn't 
do  what  they  ought.  He  hears  both  parties,  and  when 
they've  done,  he  sings  out,  '  Haul  in  the  slack  of  your 
jaw  tackle,  and  belay  all  that,'  and  then  he  goes  for  to 
say  what  eacli  party  must  do,  and  he  won't  hear  a  word 
more  from  either  of  them.  Well,  as  I  was  a  saying,  I 
joined  a  South  Sea  whaler.  I  can't  say  as  how  I  had 
a  pleasant  time  aboard,  but  it  was  better  than  others 
had.     Our  captain  was  one  of  them  chaps  as  always 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         279 

does  what  they  choose,  and  he  pretty  often  chose  to  do 
what  was  very  bad.  He  had  a  quarrel  with  the  doctor 
of  the  ship,  who  was  a  very  decent,  well-behaved  young 
man,  and  not  wanting  in  spii'it.  Their  disputes  went 
on  from  bud  to  worse,  so  what  does  he  do  one  day, 
but  call  four  or  five  hands  aft,  fellows  always  ready  to 
do  any  dirty  work  for  a  glass  of  grog,  and  getting  hold 
of  the  poor  doctor,  clap  him  into  one  of  the  hen-coops. 
'  Now,'  says  he,  '  you'll  stay  there  till  you  beg  my 
pardon.'  '  I'll  never  beg  your  pardon,'  says  the  doctor. 
'  I'll  see  if  I  can't  make  you,'  says  the  captain.  Well, 
would  you  believe  it  ?  the  captain  kept  the  poor  doctor 
in  there,  day  after  day,  and  always  took  his  meals  to 
him  himself,  cut  up  into  little  bits,  so  that  he  could 
-eat  them  with  a  spoon.  When  he  put  in  the  plate,  he 
always  used  to  sing  out,  '  Coopity  !  coopity  !  coopity  ! ' 
just  as  he  would  have  done  if  he  was  feeding  the  fowls. 
It  aggi-avated  the  poor  doctor,  but  he  couldn't  help 
himself.  No  one  dared  speak  to  the  captain,  who 
always  walked  about  with  a  brace  of  pistols  in  his  belt, 
and  swore  he'd  shoot  any  one  who  interfered  with  him. 
You  may  be  sure  I  and  others  felt  for  the  doctor  when 
the  savage  used  to  go  to  him,  with  a  grin  on  his  face, 
and  sing  out,  '  Coopity  !  coopity  !  coopity  ! '  The  doctor 
would  have  been  starved  if  he  hadn't  taken  the  food 
when  the  captain  brought  it  him,  with  his  '  Coopity ! 
coopity  !  coopity  ! ' 

"  At  last,  one  day,  the  doctor  wouldn't  stand  it  any 
longer ;  so  says  he,  '  If  you  don't  let  me  out  of  this, 
I'll  make  you  sing  out  "  Coopity,  coopity  "  from  the. 
other  side  of  your  mouth ;  so  look  out.'     The  captain 


280         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

laughed  at  him,  and  went  on  as  before.  However,  we 
had  to  put  into  Port  Jackson  to  refit,  and  it  came  to 
the  ears  of  the  governor  that  our  skipper  had  a  man 
sliut  up  in  a  hen-coop ;  so  he  sent  some  soldiers  aboard, 
and  had  the  doctor  taken  out  and  brought  ashore. 
Then  there  was  a  regular  trial,  and  the  governor  heard 
what  the  doctor  had  to  say,  and  the  skipper  and  we 
had  to  say,  and  tlien  he  says,  '  I  decide  that  you, 
Captain  Crowfoot,  shall  pay  Dr.  M'Grath  two  hundred 
golden  guineas  before  you  leave  this  court.'  The  cap- 
tain, with  many  wry  faces,  began  to  make  all  sorts  of 
excuses,  but  the  governor  wouldn't  listen  to  one  of  them, 
and  Captain  Crowfoot  had  to  get  a  merchant  to  hand 
him  out  two  bags  of  guineas.  '  Count  them,  captain, 
count  them,'  says  the  governor ;  and  as  the  skipper 
counted  them  out  on  the  table,  the  doctor  stood  by  with 
another  bag,  and  as  he  swept  them  in  with  his  hand,  he 
kept  singing  out  '  Coopity,  coopity,  coopity.'  Really  it 
was  pleasant  to  hear  tlie  doctor  go  on  with  his  '  Coopity, 
coopity,  coopity.'  Everybody  in  the  court  laughed,  and, 
1  believe  you,  the  skipper  was  glad  enough  to  get  away 
when  he  had  counted  out  all  his  money,  and  there  was 
a  regular  cheer  of  '  Coopity,  coopity,  coopity,'  as  he 
ruslied  out  of  the  court."  I  had  not  seen  M'Allister 
laugh  since  we  had  lost  the  prize.  He  now  gave  way 
to  a  hearty  peal,  exclaiming,  "  Ha  !  ha !  ha  !  I'll  make 
the  French  lieutenant  sing  out '  Coopity,  coopity,  coopity,' 
before  the  world  is  many  years  older." 

I  need  not  describe  all  that  occurred  in  the  boat. 
We  made  fair  way  while  the  wind  continued  fair,  and 
the  weather  favorable,  but  Jamaica  still  seemed  a  long 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         281 

distance  off.  It  is  a  large  island,  however,  so  that 
there  was  not  much  chance  of  our  missing  it.  Four 
days  had  passed  since  we  left  the  Audacieuse,  when 
about  midnight  the  wind  suddenly  shifted  to  the  north- 
ward, and  what  was  worse,  it  came  on  to  blow  very  hard. 
We  closely  reefed  our  sail,  and  hove  to,  but  the  seas 
constantly  broke  over  us,  and  we  were  obliged  to  keep 
two  hands  baling,  or  we  should  have  been  swamped. 
It  was  bad  enough  as  it  was,  but  it  might  come  on  worse, 
and  then,  would  the  boat  swim  ?  That  was  a  question. 
That  was  a  dreary  night.  The  rain  came  down  too  — 
as  it  knows  well  how  to  do  in  the  tropics.  We  had  no 
want  of  water,  but  we  unwisely  neglected  to  fill  our 
casks.  Expecting  to  make  a  quick  run,  we  had  not 
stinted  ourselves  in  the  use  of  water.  Of  course  the 
boat  all  this  time  was  drifting  to  leeward,  and  we 
were  losing  all  the  distance  we  had  made  good  during 
the  last  day  or  so ;  if  the  gale  continued,  we  should 
lose  still  more.  At  last  daylight  came,  but  the  wind 
blew  as  hard  as  ever  —  half  a  gale  at  all  events.  Two 
whole  days  more  it  blew.  At  last  it  ceased,  but  it  left 
us  a  hundred  miles  nearly  further  from  our  destination 
than  when  it  commenced.  This  was  bad.  enough,  but 
though  there  was  little  of  it  remaining,  that  little  was 
in  our  teeth.  We,  however,  hauled  our  wind,  and 
tried  to  beat  up.  When  the  sea  went  down  we  got  the 
oars  out,  and  lowering  the  sails,  pulled  head  to  wind. 
It  was  greatly  trying  to  the  men,  to  know  that  after 
toiling  away  for  hours,  the  entire  distance  gained  might 
be  lost  in  a  quarter  of  the  time.  Still,  as  British  sea- 
men always  do,  they  persevered.  M'AUister  and  I 
24* 


282         SfAKMADITKE    MERRT,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

took  our  turn  at  the  oars  with  the  rest.  For  several 
days  we  labored  thus.  The  prospect  of  a  quick  run 
to  Jamaica  was  over.  Our  provisions  were  running 
short  —  our  water  was  almost  expended.  Hunger  and 
thirst  began  to  stare  us  in  the  face  —  things  apt  not 
only  to  stare  people  out  of  countenance,  but  out  of  their 
grK>d  looks.  We  at  once  went  on  short  allowance, 
which  grew  shorter  and  shorter.  As  we  gazed  on  each 
other's  faces,  we  saw  how  haggard  our  shipmates  had 
become,  each  person  scarcely  aware  of  his  own  ema- 
ciated appearance.  At  la=t  we  had  not  a  drop  of  water 
remaining-  Jamaica  might  still  be  a  week's  sail  off, 
under  favorable  circumstances.  The  thirst  we  now  en- 
dured was  far  worse  than  hunger,  in  that  climate,  with 
a  hot  sun  burning  down  on  our  heads  all  day.  Our 
throats  got  hotter  and  more  parched  every  hour ;  we 
drew  in  our  belts,  and  that  silenced  the  cravings  of 
hunger  for  a  time,  and  we  had  some  few  bits  of  biscuit, 
"and  ham^  and  chocolate,  but  nothing  we  could  do  could 
allay  our  thirst.  We  dipped  our  faces  in  water,  and 
kept  applying  our  wet  handkerchiefs  to  our  mouths 
and  eyes.  We  got  most  relief  from  breathing  through 
our  wet  handkerchiefs ;  but  it  was  only  transient ;  the 
fever  within  burned  as  fiercely  as  ever.  We  had  to 
work  at  the  oars,  when  we  could  not  keep  our  hand- 
kerchiefs wet  M'AUister,  like  a  brave  fellow  as  he 
was,  aroused  himself,  and  endeavored  to  encourage  us 
to  persevere.  He  especially  warned  the  men  against 
drinking  salt-water,  telling  them  that  it  would  be  down- 
right suicide,  and  that  they  might  as  well  jump  over- 
board and  be  drowned  at  once.     We   were   certainly 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         283 

making,  way,  and  every  hour  lessening  our  distance  to 
Jamaica.  Again  our  hopes  were  raised.  "We  had  a 
few  scraps  of  food  to  support  life  for  two  days  more ; 
but  it  was  the  water  we  wanted.  I  felt  that  I  could  not 
hold  out  another  twenty-four  hours.  I  must  have  water 
or  die.  The  wind,  however,  came  fair  ;  we  made  sail, 
and  ran  merrily  over  the  water  —  at  least  the  boat 
did.  Our  feelings  were  heavy  enough.  Still  I  must  say 
that  we  did  our  best  to  keep  up  each  othei"'s  courage. 
Again  the  wind  fell.  It  shifted.  We  might  be  driven 
back,  and  lose  all  the  way  we  had  gained.  Dark  clouds 
gathered  —  the  feeling  of  the  air  changed.  "  Get  the 
sail  spread  out  flat,  and  the  buckets,  and  cask,  and 
mugs  ready,  boys,"  cried  M'Allister.  "  Open  your 
mouths." 

Scarcely  had  he  spoken,  when  down  came  the  rain. 
Oh,  how  delicious,  were  the  cool  streams  which  flowed 
down  our  parched  throats,  and  washed  the  salt  from  our 
faces.  As  the  sail  caught  it,  we  let  it  run  oflf'  into  the 
receptacles  we  had  prepared.  Mugfull  after  mugful! 
we  drained.  "We  filled  our  cask  and  buckets.  The  rain 
ceased  just  as  we  had  done  so,  and  then  it  fell  a  dead 
calm.  But  we  all  felt  refreshed  and  invigorated.  New 
life  seemed  put  into  us,  and  the  dry  morsels  of  biscuit 
and  ham  which  we  before  could  not  swallow,  were  eaten 
with  a  relish.  This  deliverance  from  immediate  death 
gave  us  hope  ;  but  still  we  might  have  again  to  encoun- 
ter all  the  difficulties  we  had  before  gone  through,  be- 
fore reaching  land.  Could  we  possibly  survive  them  ? 
I  had  often  read  of  similar  adventures  and  sufferings, 
and  had  been  so  much  interested  and  amused,  that  I 


284         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

had  felt  considerably  obliged  to  those  who  had  gone 
through  them,  and  really  felt  that  I  should  like  to  have 
been  with  them  ;  but  I  found  the  reality  very  different 
indeed.  The  terrible  reality  was  presented  to  me  with 
the  gilding  off — the  romance  vanished.  My  great  wish 
was  to  escape  from  my  present  position.  I  have  no 
doubt  that  all  my  companions  felt  with  me. 

The  oai"S  were  again  got  out,  and  slowly  we  pulled  to 
the  northward.  It  was  soon  evident,  however,  that  our 
strength  was  totally  unequal  to  the  task.  One  after 
the  other  the  oars  dropped  from  the  men's  feeble  grasp. 
It  was  terrible  to  see  strong  men  thus  reduced  to  weak- 
ness. The  calm  continued.  Even  I  began  to  despair. 
A  dizziness  came  over  me.  I  was  nearly  sinking  to 
the  bottom  of  the  boat,  but  I  resisted  the  impulse  by  a 
strong  effort.  "  I'll  not  give  in  while  life  and  sense  re- 
main." I  fancied  that  I  felt  a  puff  of  air  on  my  cheek. 
I  wetted  my  finger  and  held  it  up.  There  was  no  doubt 
about  it.  A  breeze  was  coming  from  the  southward.  I 
stood  up  as  well  as  I  was  able,  and  looked  astern  for 
the  expected  blue  line  in  the  horizon.  My  heart  leaped 
within  me  when  ray  eye  fell  on  the  white  sails  of  a 
vessel  coming  fast  up  with  us.  I  shouted  out  the  joyous 
news.  My  companions  lifted  up  their  heads,  some 
scarcely  understanding  what  I  said.  M'Al'.ister,  who 
had  been  asleep,  started  up,  and,  with  his  hand  over  his 
eyes,  gazed  anxiously  at  the  stranger.  Banibriek,  with 
a  strength  which  surprised  me,  leaped  upon  tlie  thwart, 
holding  on  by  the  mast,  and  after  looking  for  some  time, 
he  exclaimed,  "  She's  the  Espoir,  as  sure  as  my  name  is 
Ned  Bambrick." 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         285 

"  The  Espoir  went  down  in  tlie  hurricane,  and  this 
craft  is  only  some  phantom  come  to  delude  and  mock 
us,"  muttered  M'Allister,  gloomily. 

"  Nonsense !  you  don't  believe  in  such  stuff,"  I  ex- 
claimed. "  If  yonder  craft  is  the  Espoir,  it's  plain  the 
Espoir  did  not  go  down  in  the  hurricane ;  and  if  the 
Espoir  did  go  down  in  the  hurricane,  it  is  equally  plain 
that  the  vessel  in  sight  is  not  she." 

"  No,  no,  yonder  craft  is  but  a  mocking  phantom. 
I'm  destined  never  to  see  my  bonnie  home  and  fair 
Scotland  again,"  he  answered,  in  a  low  voice,  speaking 
more  to  himself  than  to  me. 

There  was  no  use  then  contradicting  him.  Half  an 
hour  or  less  would,  I  hoped,  show  that  the  stranger 
astern  was  a  real  palpable  vessel,  with  humg-n  beings  on 
board,  who  would  relieve  our  distress,  and  no  phantom 
craft.  Poor  M'Allister  sank  down  in  the  stern-sheets 
again  through  weakness,  but  continued  to  gaze  at  the 
stranger,  as  we  all  did,  with  our  eyeballs  almost  start- 
ing, in  our  eagerness,  from  their  sockets. 

The  stranger  proved  to  be  a  schooner ;  and,  as  she 
approached,  she  appeared  to  be  more  and  more  like  the 
Espoir.  There  was  at  length  no  doubt  about  it,  but 
M'Allister  still  shook  his  head,  muttering,  "A  phantom  — 
a  phantom  —  but  very  like  the  craft  —  there's  na  doubt 
about  that."  I  do  not  know  what  he  might  have  thought 
when  the  schooner  shortened  sail,  and  glided  up  slowly 
alongside  our  boat.  There  were  Perigal,  and  Gray,  and 
Macquoid,  and  Bobus,  and  others,  looking  at  us  over  the 
bulwarks.  They  must  have  known  us  by  our  uniforms 
to  be  English,  but  they  had  no  idea  we  were  their  own 


286         MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE    MroSHIPMAN. 

shipmates.     I  guessed  this  by  hearing  Macquoid  say  to 

Bobus,  — 

"  "Who  can  they  be  ?  Some  poor  fellows  whose  vessel 
must  have  gone  down  in  the  hurricane." 

"  Hand  them  up  carefully,  now,"  said  Perigal  to  the 
men  who  descended  into  the  boat. 

We  were  all  soon  lifted  on  deck,  for  we  were  utterly 
unable  to  help  ourselves,  and  we  had  positively  to  say 
who  we  were  before  we  were  recognized. 

The  foremost  to  rush  forward  and  welcome  me  was 
Toby  Bluff;  and,  forgetful  of  all  the  proprieties  of  the 
quarter-deck,  he  was  very  nearly  throwing  his  arms 
round  me  and  giving  me  a  hearty  hug,  so  overcome  was 
he  with  joy  at  having  the  young  squire  restored  to  him. 

"  Oh  !  Measter  Merry,  they  will  be  main  glad  at  the 
Hall  when  they  learns  that  after  all  you  didn't  go  down 
in  that  mighty  terrible  hurricane  we  had  t'other  day," 
he  exclaimed.  "  I'd  never  have  gone  back  to  see  them 
—  that  I  wouldn't  —  I  could  never  have  faced  them 
without  the  young  measter  !  " 

Warm  and  sincere,  indeed,  were  the  congratulations 
of  all  our  friends.  Macquoid  at  once  took  charge  of  us  — 
ordered  us  all  into  our  hammocks,  and  would  not  allow 
us  to  swallow  more  than  the  most  moderate  quantity  of 
food,  nor  to  listen  nor  talk.  Owing  to  his  judicious 
management,  we  all  speedily  got  round,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  M'Allister,  who  had  been  the  last  to  give  in. 
His  spirit  and  moral  courage  had  supported  him,  till  at 
length  his  physical  powers  yielded  to  his  sufferings. 

We  carried  on  the  breeze  till  we  sighted  Jamaica. 
Of  course  Perigal  was  very  much  vexed  at  hearing  of 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         287 

the  loss  of  the  prize,  but  he  did  not  blame  M'Allister, 
though,  as  he  observed,  it  would  have  been  wiser  had 
we  not  placed  so  much  confidence  in  our  agreeable  and 
plausible  prisoner.  The  Espoir  had  lost  sight  of  us  in 
the  hurricane  from  the  first,  and  apprehensions  for  our 
safety  had  till  now  been  entertained,  and  so  our  friends 
looked  upon  us  as  happily  restored  to  them  from  the 
dead,  and  were  not  inclined  to  find  undue  fault  with  us. 
"We  found  that  they  had  been  placed  in  even  greater 
danger  than  we  had,  and  had  suffered  more  damage,  but 
finally  they  were  enabled  to  take  shelter  under  an  island 
more  to  the  south  than  the  one  we  gained.  Here  they 
remained  for  some  time  to  refit,  and  thus  were  brought 
to  our  rescue  just  in  time  to  preserve  us  from  destruc- 
tion. We  were  all  tolerably  recovered  and  presentable 
by  the  time  we  entered  Port  Royal  harbor.  Here  we 
found  the  frigate  almost  ready  for  sea,  and,  to  our  satis- 
fation,  Spellman  with  our  first  prize  had  arrived  safely. 
Among  those  who  most  cordially  welcomed  me  was  Mr. 
Johnson,  the  boatswain. 

"  "We  felt  that  hurricane  even  here,  Mr.  Merry  ;  and 
thinking  you  might  feel  it  too,  I  was  any  thing  but 
happy  about  you,"  he  observed,  shaking  me  by  the 
hand.  "  I  was  once  out  in  just  such  another  —  only  it  blew 
a  precious  deal  harder.  Some  of  our  hands  had  their 
pigtails  carried  away,  and  two  or  three  fellows  who  kept 
their  mouths  open  had  their  teeth  blown  down  their 
throats.  It  was  the  gale  when  the  Thunderer,  and  so 
many  other  of  His  Majesty's  ships  went  down.  You've 
heard  of  it,  I  dare  say  ?  " 

I  told  him  that  I  had  read  about  it  in  a  naval  history 


288         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

we  bad  on  board,  but  that  the  account  of  the  pigtails  and 
teeth  was  not  given. 

"  No,  I  dare  say  not ;  historians  seldom  enter  as  they 
ought  into  particulars,"  he  answered,  laughing. 

Gray  received  an  equally  friendly  welcome  from  Mr. 
Johnson,  with  whom  he  was  as  great  a  favorite  as  I  was. 
He  made  us  give  him  an  account  of  all  our  adventures, 
and  amused  himself  with  quizzing  me,  without  ceasing, 
at  having  been  so  tricked  by  the  French  lieutenant.  I 
believed,  and  do  to  this  day,  that  Preville  was  civil  and 
light-hearted  from  nature,  and  that  it  was  only  when  he 
found  us  off  our  guard  that  the  idea  of  seizing  the  vessel 
occurred  to  him. 

M'AUister  did  not  get  off  as  easily  as  I  did.  Wher- 
ever he  went  he  was  quizzed  for  having  been  tricked 
by  the  Frenchman  and  losing  his  prize.  He  unfortu- 
nately could  not  stand  quizzing,  and  taking  what  was 
said  too  seriously,  he  became  at  times  quite  sulky  and 
morose. 

As  the  Doris  had  no  hands  to  spare,  the  tender  was 
laid  up,  and  once  more  the  frigate  -put  to  sea  in  search 
of  the  enemies  of  our  country.  We  knew  that  several 
of  their  frigates  were  at  sea,  and  we  hoped  to  fall  in 
with  one  of  them.  If  we  missed  them,  we  were  not 
likely  to  object  to  pick  up  a  few  rich  merchantmen. 

Soon  after  I  rejoined,  I  was  invited  to  the  gun-room 
to  give  an  account  of  my  adventures  on  board  the 
Audacieuse.  Thinking  he  was  going  to  be  quizzed, 
McAllister  would  not  say  a  word  on  the  subject.  I  was 
not  so  particular,  and  amused  the  officers  very  much 
with  an  account  of  the  way  in  which  the  polite  lieuten- 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         289 

ant  used  to  dress  our  dinners  for  us,  and  used  to  sing 
and  play  for  our  amusement.  Mr.  Fitzgerald  seemed 
highly  entertained. 

"  He  must  be  a  broth  of  a  boy,  indeed  !  If  we  ever 
catch  him,  we'll  make  him  dress  our  dinners,"  he  ex- 
claimed, laughing. 

He  was  himself  stranger  than  ever,  and,  with  his 
curious  performances,  I  used  to  wonder  how  he  managed 
not  to  get  into  more  scrapes  than  he  did.  Our  captain 
was  much  of  the  same  opinion,  for  I  heard  him  remark 
that  he  really  was  glad  to  get  to  sea,  for  fear  Mr.  Fitz- 
gerald should  do  something  to  bring  himself  into  diffi- 
culty on  shore.  The  words  were  reported  to  Mr.  Fitz- 
gerald, who  remarked,  — 

"  Och !  where  there's  a  will  there's  a  way.  We'll 
see  what  we  can  do,  even  out  here  on  the  big  salt 
sea ! " 

Not  long  after  this,  during  a  light  breeze,  we  chased 
a  vessel  to  the  southward.  We  came  up  with  her  hand 
over  hand.  When,  however,  we  were  five  miles  off,  it 
fell  a  dead  calm.  What  she  was  we  could  not  ascertain, 
though  she  did  not  look  like  an  armed  vessel.  It  was 
necessary  to  overhaul  her,  so  Mr.  Fitzgerald  volunteered 
to  take  the  gig  and  six  hands  to  board  her,  and  Gray 
and  I  got  leave  to  accompany  him.  We  had  a  hot  pull, 
the  sun  coming  down  full  on  our  heads ;  and  as  we  had 
come  away  without  any  water,  the  men  were  anxious  to 
get  on  board  the  sti'anger,  that  they  might  quench  their 
thirst.  She  was  rigged  as  a  barque,  and  she  proved  as 
we  guessed  ;  she  was  a  Yankee,  and  a  neutral.  Though 
undoubtedly  laden  with  stores  for  our  enemies,  we  could 
25 


290         MAKMADUKE   MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

not  touch  her.  Her  skipper  was  very  civil,  and  invited 
lis  into  the  cabin,  where  a  fine  display  of  decanters  and 
tumblers  gave  promise  of  good  cheer,  in  which  we  were 
not  disappointed.  Mr.  Fitzgerald  was  soon  deep  in  the 
mysteries  of  cocktail  and  similar  mixtures.  He  seemed 
to  enjoy  them  amazingly,  for  he  quaffed  tumbler  after 
tumbler,  till  I  began  to  fear  that  he  was  getting  rather 
too  deep  into  the  subject.  Gray  and  I  took  our  share, 
but  we  both  of  us  Avere  from  inclination  very  temperate. 
Independent  of  other  considerations,  I  have  always  held 
that  a  splitting  headache,  and  the  risk  of  getting  into 
trouble,  was  a  high  price  to  pay  for  the  pleasure  of 
tickling  one's  palate,  or  artificially  raising  one's  spirits 
for  a  short  time.  The  men  were  hospitably  entertained 
forward,  one  or  two  of  them  finding  old  messmates ;  in- 
deed American  vessels  at  that  period  were  manned  prin- 
cipally with  English  seamen.  "We  remained  on  board 
altogether  much  longer  than  we  ought  to  have  done,  but 
at  last  Mr.  Fitzgerald,  looking  at  his  watch,  jumped  up, 
exclaiming  that  he  must  be  off.  We  thanked  the  skip- 
per for  his  civility,  and,  not  without  difficulty,  getting 
the  men  into  the  boat,  away  we  pulled  toward  the 
frigate.  The  men  were  all  high  in  praise  of  the  Yan- 
kees, and  I  have  no  doubt  that  they  were  all  put  up  to 
run  from  the  ship  at  the  first  American  port  at  which 
they  might  touch. 

The  calm  still  continued,  and  from  the  lazy  way  in 
which  the  men  pulled,  it  was  clear  that  they  were  in  no 
hurry  to  get  on  board.  Gray  and  I,  of  course,  were 
not ;  indeed  Mr.  Fitzgerald,  who  was  in  great  spirits, 
kept  us  highly  amused  by  his  stories,  so  full  of  racy 


"  Give  way,  lads,  gire  way  '  "  he  shouted  aloud. 


MARMADITKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         291 

humor.  Our  movements  were,  however,  considerably 
expedited  by  the  report  of  a  gun  from  the  frigate,  as  a 
signal  for  us  immediately  to  return.  The  men  now 
bent  to  their  oars,  and  gave  way  in  earnest.  We  had 
not  pulled  far,  however,  when  another  puff  of  smoke 
was  seen  to  burst  forth  from  the  frigate's  side,  followed 
by  the  report  of  the  gun,  which  came  booming  over  the 
smooth  ocean. 

"  Och  !  the  skipper's  in  a  mighty  hui-ry,"  muttered 
the  lieutenant  to  himself.  "  We  are  making  all  the 
haste  flesh  and  blood  is  capable  of,  with  the  sun  broiling 
up  our  marrow  at  this  rate." 

"  Give  way,  lads,  give  way,"  he  shouted  aloud.  "  The 
captain  is  in  a  hurry,  for  there's  something  in  the  wind, 
depend  on  that." 

We  were,  I  suspect,  so  completely  in  a  position  under 
the  sun,  as  observed  from  the  frigate,  that  we  could  not 
be  seen.  Presently  the  report  of  another  gun  struck 
our  ears.  On  this  Mr.  Fitzgerald  seemed  to  lose  all 
patience. 

"  Hand  me  an  oar  and  a  boat-hook,"  he  exclaimed, 
"  and  some  rope-yarn." 

What  was  our  surprise  to  see  him  strip  oiF  his  trow- 
sers,  and  make  the  waistband  fast  to  the  boat-hook, 
which  he  secured  for  a  yard  across  the  blade  of  an  oar 
stepped  upright  as  a  mast.  Having  secured  some  pieces 
of  rope-yarn  to  the  legs  of  his  unmentionables,  he  stood 
up,  and  began  blowing  away  with  might  and  main  into 
the  upper  portions,  stopping  every  now  and  then  to  gain 
breath,  and  to  shout,  "  Give  way,  lads,  with  a  will  — 
give  way  like  troopers  —  give  way,  ye  hardy  sons  of 


292         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

Neptune,  or  of  sea-cooks,  if  you  prefer  the  appellation. 
Give  way  like  Tritons.  We  are  doing  all  that  men  can 
do.  Who  dare  say  we  can  do  more  ?  But  we  must 
not  stop  to  talk."  Then  once  more  filling  out  his 
cheeks,  he  began  to  blow  and  puff  with  miglit  and  main 
as  before. 

Gray  and  I,  though  not  a  little  shocked,  were  con- 
vulsed with  laughter;  so  of  course  were  the  men,  whose 
countenances,  as  they  bent  to  their  oars,  were  wreathed 
in  the  broadest  of  broad  grins,  while  shouts  of  scarce 
suppressed  laughter  burst  ever  and  anon  from  their 
throats. 

"  Faith,  the  captain  can't  say  it's  my  fault  if  we  don't 
get  aboard  in  time.  I've  done  all  that  any  officer  in 
His  Majesty's  service  could  do  to  expedite  matters,  at 
all  events,"  he  observed  at  length,  stopping  to  draw 
breath. 

"  And  more  than  most  officers  would  dream  of  doing, 
Mr.  Fitzgerald,"  I  answered,  quietly,  really  fearing  that 
he  had  gone  mad. 

"  Och,  yes,  I  was  always  celebrated  for  my  zeal,"  he 
answered.  "  There's  nothing  like  zeal,  Mr.  Merry. 
When  my  Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty  think 
fit  to  promote  one  of  their  own  nephews  over  the  heads 
of  any  lot  of  us  poor  fellows  who  don't  happen  to  have 
any  interest  in  high  quarters,  it's  always  on  account  of 
zeal  —  they  are  such  very  zealous  and  promising  young 
men.  They  don't  say  what  they  promise.  I  could 
never  learn  that.  I  once  posed  the  First  Lord  by 
simply  asking  the  question.  I  went  up  just  to  ask  for 
my  promotion  —  for  there's  nothing  like   asking,  you  ' 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         29B 

know,  youngsters.  The  first  Lord  received  me  with 
wonderful  civility.  He  took  me  for  another  Fitzgerald, 
and  I  was  fool  enough  to  tell  him  which  I  really  was, 
or  I  believe  he  would  have  handed  me  out  my  commis- 
sion and  appointment  to  a  fine  brig  I  had  in  my  eye, 
there  and  then.  I  saw  by  his  change  of  countenance 
that  I  had  made  a  mistake,  and,  as  I  was  in  for  it,  I  de- 
termined not  to  be  abashed.  With  the  blandest  of 
smiles  he  remarked,  '  Undoubtedly,  Mr.  Fitzgerald,  I 
will  keep  you  in  sight,  but  I  have  on  my  list  so  many 
zealous  and  promising  young  officers,  that  I  fear  you 
will  have  some  time  to  wait.'  His  cold  eye  told  me 
he'd  do  nothing  for  me,  so  says  I,  '  My  Lord,  I  should 
just  like  to  have  an  example  of  this  zeal,  that  I  may 
learn  to  imitate  it ;  but  as  to  promises,  faith,  my  Lord,  I 
should  like  to  see  any  man  who  can  beat  me  at  making 
them.'  I  put  on  a  face  as  I  spoke,  and  he  couldn't 
help  laughing,  but  he  told  me,  when  I  made  my  bow, 
that  I  might  be  sure  he  wouldn't  forget  me.  Whether 
he  has  or  has  not,  I  can't  say  ;  but  here  am  I,  a  descend- 
ant of  Brian  Boroo,  and  I  don't  know  how  many  kings 
and  queens  of  ould  Ireland  besides,  nothing  but  a  hum- 
ble lieutenant,  standing  with  my  breeches  off,  and  en- 
deavoring to  fill  this  epitome  of  a  boat's  sail  with  all  the 
wind  in  my  mortal  body.  I  must  stop  talking,  though, 
youngsters  ;  it's  setting  you  a  bad  example,"  and  he 
began  to  puff  away  again. 

We  were  now  drawing  so  near  the  frigate  that  I  felt 
sure,  if  any  glasses  were  turned  toward  us,  his  extraordi- 
nary condition  could  be  seen.     I  was  anxious  to  prevent 
his  getting  into  disgrace,  so  I  asked, — 
25* 


294         MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

"  Wouldn't  it  be  better,  sir,  if  you  were  to  put  on 
your  breeches,  and  let  the  men  pull  up  alongside  in 
pi'oper  style  ?  " 

"  What,  youngster,  and  lose  this  magnificent  oppor- 
tunity of  exhibiting  my  zeal  ? "  he  exclaimed,  indig- 
nantly. "  I  shall  request  the  captain  to  write  an  official 
letter  to  the  Admiralty,  that  a  proper  record  may  be 
made  of  it." 

"  But  Gray  and  I  will  bear  witness  to  the  truth  of 
your  statement,  if  you  think  fit,  to-morrow,  to  make  a 
report  of  the  proceeding,"  I  observed.  "  You  must 
allow,  sir,  that  officers  do  not  generally  come  alongside 
a  ship  with  their  breeches  off,  though  of  course  it  is  very 
laudable  to  make  use  of  them  as  a  boat's  sail,  or  in  any 
other  way,  for  the  good  of  the  service  ;  but,  if  you 
have  any  enemies,  a  wrong  construction  may  be  put  on 
the  matter." 

He  did  not  appear  to  be  listening  to  what  I  was  say- 
ing, but  continued  puffing  out  his  cheeks  and  blowing  as 
before.  As  I  was  steering,  I  told  Gray  to  look  through 
the  telescope  we  had  with  us  at  the  ship. 

"  I  see  several  glasses  turned  this  way,"  he  answered, 
"  and  there  are'  numbers  of  men  in  the  riggintj." 

I  made  no  remark,  but  Mr.  Fitzgerald  soon  after- 
wards lowered  the  oar,  and,  without  saying  any  thing, 
quietly  put  on  his  breeches.  We  were  soon  alongside  ; 
the  boat  was  hoisted  in,  and  a  light  breeze  having 
sprung  up,  which  hud  long  been  seen  coming,  all  sail 
was  made  in  chase  of  a  vessel  to  the  eastward. 

Mr.  Fitzgerald  tlien  made  his  report. 

"You  seemed  to  be  carrying  some  sail,"  observed  the 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  295 

captain.  "  You  had  but  little  wind,  though,  to  make  it 
of  use." 

"  There  was  all  the  wind  I  could  make,"  blurted  out 
the  lieutenant,  who  had  now  got  sober,  and  was  as 
much  ashamed  of  himself  as  it  was  in  his  nature  to  be. 
"  However,  Captain  Collyer,  you  know  my  zeal  for  the 
service,  and  there  isn't  a  thing  I  wouldn't  do  for  its 
good." 

"  Even  to  making  use  of  your  breeches  as  a  sail,  and 
compelling  your  mouth  to  do  duty  as  ^olus,"  said  the 
captain,  gravely.  "  However,  Mr.  Fitzgerald,  though  I 
never  like  making  mountains  of  molehills,  don't  let  your 
zeal,  or  your  love  of  a  joke,  carry  you  so  far  again.  Disci- 
pline would  quickly  vanish  if  the  officers  were  to  forget 
their  dignity,  as  you  did  just  now.  No  officer  should 
ever  appear  in  public  without  his  breeches." 

"  I'll  make  a  note  of  that.  Captain  Collyer,  and  take 
care  that  it  never  again  occurs,"  answered  Mr.  Fitz- 
gerald, with  inimitable  gravity,  but  with  an  expression 
in  his  comical  features  which  made  our  good-natured 
skipper  almost  burst  into  a  fit  of  laughter. 

Two  or  three  nights  after  this,  while  it  was  Mr.  Fitz- 
gerald's watch,  in  which  I  was  placed,  it  being  very 
dark,  the  frigate,  without  any  warning,  was  struck  by  a 
heavy  squall,  which  threw  her  in  an  instant  on  her 
beam  ends.  I  thought  that  she  was  going  down.  There 
was  a  loud  crash  —  the  fore-topmast  had  gone  over  the 
side.  Lightning  flashed  from  the  sky  ;  the  thunder 
roared.  A  loud  clap  was  heard  overhead  —  the  main- 
topsail  had  split,  and,  rent  in  fragments,  was  carried  out 
of  the  bolt-ropes,  lashing  itself  in  fury  round  the  yard. 


296  MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

All  seemed  confusion.  Everybody  on  the  first  crash 
had  rushed  on  deck,  mostly  in  very  scanty  costume. 
The  captain  had  slipped  on  his  coat,  which,  with  his 
shirt  and  slippers,  formed  his  costume.  There  he  stood, 
his  shirt  tails  fluttering  in  the  breeze,  while  with  his 
deep-toned  voice  he  was  bringing  order  out  of  seeming 
chaos.  When  the  main-topsail  went  the  frigate  riglited. 
"We  had  work  enough  to  do  to  clear  the  wt-eck  of  the 
fore-topmast  and  all  its  hamper,  and  it  was  broad  day- 
light before  the  captain  could  leave  the  deck.  When 
the  ship  was  put  a  little  to  rights,  and  those  officers  who 
had  appeared  in  limited  costume  had  gone  below  to  don 
the  usual  amount  of  dress,  Mr.  Fitzgerald  walked  up 
to  Mr.  Bryan,  the  first  lieutenant,  and  said,  — 

"  I  wish,  Bryan,  that  you  would  ascertain  what  are 
and  what  are  not  the  regulations  of  this  ship.  Two 
days  ago  the  captain  told  me  that  it  was  against  his 
express  oi-ders  that  any  officers  should  appear  on  the 
quarter-deck  without  their  breeches,  and  now  he  ap- 
pears himself  without  his,  and  so  do  Haisleden  and  the 
master,  and  some  other  fellows  besides." 

"  There  are  some  occasions  when  it  does  not  do  to 
stick  at  trifles,"  answered  Mr.  Bryan,  who  found  it  very 
necessary  to  humor  his  eccentric  brother  officer. 

"  Well,  at  all  events,  the  captain  cannot  find  fault 
with  me  after  that,"  said  the  second  lieutenant;  "I  am 
always  saying  the  same  —  I  never  stick  at  trifles." 

"No,  indeed  yon  do  not;  but  sometimes  it  is  just  as 
well  to  look  at  them,  and  ascertain  if  they  are  trifles," 
observed  Mr.  Bryan. 

It  was  found  that  the  frijrate  had  received  so  much 


HARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  297 

damage  that  it  was  necessary  to  put  back  to  Port 
Royal.  It  was  a  matter  of  very  little  consequence  to 
us  midshipmen.  We  were  chiefly  interested  because  we 
knew  that  we  should  get  a  supply  of  fresh  meat  and 
vegetables,  which  we  preferred  to  the  salt  pork  and 
weevilly  biscuits  served  out  to  the  navy  in  those  days, 
and  for  very  many  days  later ;  indeed,  where  is  the 
naval  officer,  under  the  rank  of  a  commander,  or  I 
may  say  a  lieutenant,  who  does  not  tap  every  bit  of  bis- 
cuit on  the  table  before  he  puts  it  into  his  mouth  ?  He 
taps  mechanically  now,  but  he  learned  the  habit  when 
it  was  necessary  to  knock  out  the  weevils. 

We  soon  had  the  ship  as  much  to  rights  as  circum- 
stances would  allow.  In  the  evening  Gi'ay  and  I  went 
below,  and  found  the  boatswain  seated  on  a  stool  in  his 
cabin,  with  his  legs  stretched  out  at  full  length  befoi'e 
him,  resting  after  the  fatigues  of  the  day. 

"  Ah,  young  gentlemen,  I  know  what  you've  come 
for,"  he  exclaimed  when  he  saw  us.  "  You're  curious 
to  hear  some  more  of  my  yarns.  It's  natural,  and  I'll 
not  baulk  you.  There's  one  thing  you  may  depend  on, 
it  will  be  a  long  time  before  I  shall  spin  them  all  out. 
You  needn't  tell  me  where  I  left  off.  I  was  telling  you 
about  my  pet  shark  and  the  dreadful  event  connected 
with  it.  It's  a  warning  to  people  not  to  have  pet  sharks, 
as  you'll  say  when  you  hear  more.  But  come  in,  young 
gentlemen,  and  make  yourselves  comfortable.  Ah,  Mr. 
Gogles,  I'm  glad  to  see  you  here ;  you've  not  heard 
any  of  my  veracious  narrative,  but  now  you  shall  hear 
something  to  astonish  you,  I  guess." 

Gogles  was  a  young  midshipman,  the  son  of  a  planter 


298         MARMADUKE    MEURY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

at  Jamaica,  who  had  joined  us  when  we  were  last  there. 
His  countenance  exhibited  a  large  capacity  for  imbibing 
the  wonderful  and  improbable,  a  fact  which  had  not  es- 
caped Mr.  Johnson's  acute  observation. 

By  the  time  Toby  Bluff  had  brought  the  boatswain 
his  usual  evening  glass  of  grog,  and  he  had  cleared  his 
throat,  and,  as  ^he  remarked,  brought  up  his  thouglits 
from  the  storelockers  of  memory,  a  large  audience  was 
collected  in  and  outside  the  cabin. 

"  Listen,  then,  and  let  no  one  doubt  me,"  continued 
Mr.  Johnson.  "  I  told  you  the  Lady  Stiggins  was 
bound  round  Cape  Horn.  We  were  running  down  the 
coast  of  America,  when  somewhere  to  the  southward  of 
the  latitude  of  Demarara  it  came  on  to  blow  very  hard 
from  the  north  and  west.  The  clouds  came  rushing 
along  the  sky  like  a  mass  of  people  all  hui'rying  to  see 
the  king  open  parliament,  or  a  clown  throw  a  somer- 
sault at  a  fair,  or  any  thing  of  that  sort,  while  the  wind 
howled  and  screeched  in  the  rigging  as  I  have  heard 
wild  beasts  in  the  woods  in  Africa,  and  the  sea  got  up 
and  tumbled  and  rolled  as  if  the  waves  were  dancing 
for  their  very  lives.  You  need  not  believe  it,  but  the 
foam  flew  from  them  so  thick  that  it  actually  lifted  the 
ship  at  times  out  of  the  water.  We  had  sent  down  our 
lop-gallant  yards,  and  had  just  furled  the  courses,  and 
were  in  the  act  of  lowering  our  main-topsail  to  reef  it 
close,  when  a  squall,  more  heavy  than  before,  came 
right  down  upon  us.  I  was  at  the  helm  at  the  time, 
and  heard  it  roaring  up  astern.  The  main-topsail  yard 
had  just  reached  the  cap,  and  the  fore-topsail  was  the 
only  sail  showing  to  the  breeze.     The  blast  struck  us ; 


MARMA.DUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  299 

a  clap,  as  if  of  thunder,  was  heard,  and  away  flew  our 
fore-topsail  clean  out  of  the  bolt-ropes,  and  clear  of 
every  thing.  Off  it  flew,  right  away  to  leewai-d,  down 
upon  the  breeze.  I  kept  my  eye  on  it,  and  observed 
that  instead  of  sinking,  from  the  strength  and  buoyant 
power  of  the  wind,  it  retained  precisely  the  same  eleva- 
tion above  the  sea  that  it  had  done  when  spread  to  the 
yard.  I  did  not  mention  the  circumstance  to  any  one, 
but  took  care  not  to  lose  sight  of  the  sail.  This  was  a 
hint  to  us  not  to  set  more  canvas,  so  the  main-topsail 
was  furled,  and  away  we  scudded,  under  bare  poles, 
right  in  the  wake  of  the  fore-topsail.  Instead  of  abat- 
ing, the  wind  increased  till  it  blew  a  perfect  hurricane. 
I,  however,  kept  at  the  helm,  and  explaining  to  the  cap- 
tain the  occurrence  I  had  observed,  begged  to  be  allowed 
to  remain  there.  At  first  he  would  scarcely  believe  me, 
and  declared  that  it  was  a  white  cloud  aliead  of  us,  but 
I  was  so  positive,  that  at  last  he  let  me  have  my  way. 
Well,  we  steered  straight  on  all  that  day,  and  when 
night  approached  I  took  the  bearings  of  the  sail  that 
we  might  follow  it  as  before.  The  wind  did  not  vary, 
and  in  the  morning  there  it  was,  exactly  in  its  former 
position,  only  I  think  we  had  gained  a  little  on  it.  On, 
on  we  ran,  tearing  rather  over  than  through  the  foaming 
ocean,  but  still  we  did  not  come  up  with  the  sail.  At 
last  I  was  obliged,  from  very  weariness,  to  let  a  careful 
hand  relieve  me  at  the  helm,  and,  desiring  to  be  called 
if  we  neared  the  sail,  I  tui'ned  in  and  went  to  sleep. 
Now  you  will  want  to  know,  young  gentlemen,  why  I 
was  so  anxious  to  come  up  with  the  sail  ?  The  fact  is 
that  I  had  taken  a  notion  into  my  head,  which  I  will  tell 


300         MARMADUKE   MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

you  presently.  Well,  I  was  so  weary  that  I  slept  for 
five-and-twenty  hours  without  turning,  and  I  could 
scarcely  believe  that  I  had  been  in  my  hammock  more 
than  an  hour,  for  when  I  came  on  deck  every  thing  was 
exactly  as  I  had  left  it.  Feeling  much  refreshed,  and 
flaving  swallowed  two  dozen  of  biscuits,  a  leg  of  pork, 
and  a  gallon  of  rum  and  water,  I  took  the  helm,  re- 
solved to  carry  out  ray  intentions.  It  wasn't,  however, 
till  the  next  morning,  when  the  sun  broke  out  i'rom  be- 
hind the  clouds,  that  it  shone  directly  on  our  fore-topsail, 
now  not  the  eighth  of  a  mile  ahead  of  us.  For  some 
reason  or  other,  which  I  have  never  been  able  satisfac- 
torily to  explain,  we  were  coming  rapidly  up  with  it.  I 
now  saw  that  the  moment  was  approaching  for  carrying 
my  plan  into  execution.  Accordingly  I  sent  the  people 
Dn  to  the  fore-yard,  and  also  on  the  fore-topsail  yard, 
which  was  hoisted  right  up,  some  with  palm-needles  and 
others  with  earings  and  lashings.  It  was  a  moment  of 
intense  interest.  I  kept  the  brig's  head  directly  for  the 
sail.  We  approached  it  rapidly  ;  it  was  over  the  bow- 
sprit end.  My  eye  did  not  fail  me,  and,  to  my  inex- 
pressible satisfaction,  we  shot  directly  up  to  the  sail. 
The  men  on  the  yards  instantly  secured  it,  and  in  five 
minutes  it  was  again  spread  aloft  as  if  it  had  never  left 
Its  place.  There,  young  gentlemen,  if  you  ever  see 
any  thing  done  like  that,  you  may  open  your  eyes  with 
astonishment.  I  gained  some  credit  for  my  performance, 
though  there  are  people,  I  own,  who  do  not  believe  in 
the  fact,  which  is  not  surprising,  as  it  isn't  every  day  in 
the  week  that  a  ship  recovers  a  topsail  which  has  been 
blown  away  in  a  gale  of  wind," 


MAKMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         301 

There  was  a  considerable  amount  of  cachinnations 
along  the  deck  outside,  while  a  gruff  voice  grunted  out, 
"  Well,  bo'sun,  that  is  a  jolly  crammer  ; "  at  which  Mr. 
Johnson  looked  highly  indignant,  and  we  were  afraid 
that  he  would  not  continue  his  narrative  ;  but  a  glance 
at  Gogles's  deliciously  credulous  and  yet  astonished 
countenance,  as  he  sat  with  his  eyes  and  mouth  wide 
open,  staring  with  all  his  might,  seemed  fully  to  pacify 
him.  I  never  met  a  man  who  enjoyed  his  own  jokes, 
though  certainly  they  were  of  the  broadest  kind,  more 
thoroughly  than  did  Mr.  Johnson. 

26 


302  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

On  the  evening  of  which  I  was  speaking  in  my  last 
chapter,  Mr.  Johnson  was  evidently  in  the  vein  for 
narrating  his  veracious  history.  I  saw  this  by  the 
twinkle  of  his  eye,  by  the  peculiar  curls  round  his 
mouth  —  which  poets  speak  of  when  describing  Euphro- 
syne,  or  any  charming  young  lady  of  mortal  mould,, 
as  "  wreathed  smiles,"  but  which,  in  the  boatswain's 
case,  could  not  possibly  be  so  called  —  by  the  gusto 
with  which  he  smacked  his  lips,  after  each  sip  of  grog, 
and  the  quiet  cachinnations  in  which  he  indulged,  that 
there  was  no  fear  of  his  breaking  off'  for  some  time, 
unless  compelled  by  his  duties  to  do  so.  I  was  right. 
After  stretching  out  his  Jegs,  folding  his  arms,  and  bend- 
ing down  his  head,  as  if  to  meditate  for  a  few  minutes, 
he  looked  up  with  his  usual  humorous  expression,  and 
taking  a  fresh  sip  of  grog,  recommenced  : 

"  Some  of  you  young  gentlemen  have  been  in  a  gale 
of  wind,  and  a  pretty  stiff"  one  too,  but  except  the  little 
blow  we  had  the  other  day,  you,  Mr.  Gogles,  have  no 
practical  experience  of  what  a  real  downright  hurri- 
cane is,"  he  continued.  "  Why,  I  once  was  in  a  ship 
where,  after  we  had  carried  away  our  masts,  we  were 
obliged  to  run  under  a  marlinspike  stuck  up  in  the 
bows,  but  even  that  was  too  much  for  her,  and  we  were 
obliged  to   send   the  carpenter  forward  with   a  sledge 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         303 

hammer  to  take  a  reef  in  it  by  driving  it  further  into 
the  deck.  It  must  blow  hard,  you'll  allow,  when  it 
becomes  necessary  to  take  a  reef  in  a  marlinspike.  In 
the  same  gale,  the  man  at  the  helm  had  all  his  hair 
blown  clean  off  his  head  ;  tiie  cook,  as  he  looked  out 
of  his  caboose,  had  his  teeth  driven  down  his  throat, 
and  one  of  the  boys,  who  was  sent  on  deck  to  see 
how  the  wind  was  (for  we  were  obliged  to  batten  down 
and  get  below),  had  his  eyelids  blown  so  far  back,  that 
it  took  all  the  ship's  company  to  haul  them  down  again. 
You  don't  know  what  a  gale  of  wind  is  till  you  have 
seen  it." 

Some  loud  shouts  of  laughter  were  heard  outside 
the  berth,  but  Mr.  Johnson,  without  heeding  them,  con- 
tinued : 

"  But,  by  the  by,  I  was  describing  my  voyage  round 
the  Horn  in  the  Lady  Stiggins,  and  now  I  am  coming 
to  the  melancholy  part  of  my  history.  No  sooner  had 
we  recovered  our  topsail  than  the  gale  abated,  and 
nothing  of  moment  occurred  till  we  hauled  up  to  the 
westward  to  round  the  Horn.  For  some  days  we  had 
light  winds  and  fine  weather,  but  those  who  have 
doubled  that  Cape  know  well  that  it  blows  there  pretty 
hard  at  times,  and  we  soon  had  to  learn  this  to  our 
cost.  Soon  after  noonday  it  came  on  to  blow,  and  such  a 
sea  got  up  as  I  had  never  seen  before.  That  was  a  sea 
Sometimes  we  were  at  the  top  of  one  wave,  while  mji 
pet  shark,  who  had  faithfully  followed  us,  would  be  ic 
the  trough  below,  looking  no  larger  than  a  minnow  in 
a  mill-stream,  and  sometimes  when  we  were  at  the 
bottom  we  could   see  him  looking  lovingly  down  upon 


304         MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

US,  high  above  our  top-gallant-mast  head.  At  last  we 
were  driven  back  right  in  upon  the  coast  of  Patagonia, 
and  had  we  not  found  a  harbor  in  which  to  take  shelter, 
we  should  have  lost  the  ship  and  our  lives. 

'•  The  land  of  Patagonia  is  bleak  and  barren,  and,  as 
you  all  know,  the  few  scattered  inhabitants  make  up  for 
the  scarcity  of  their  numbers  by  their  personal  stature, 
for  they  are,  without  exception,  the  tallest  people  I 
have  ever  met.  I  felt  quite  a  pigmy  alongside  them. 
They  have  large  rolling  eyes,  long  shaggy  hair,  and 
thick  snub  noses  ;  indeed,  they  are  as  ugly  a  race  as  I 
ever  set  eyes  on.  Perhaps,  for  certain  reasons,  I  might 
have  been  prejudiced,  but  of  that  you  shall  judge. 

"  We  anchored  the  brig  in  a  snug  cove,  where  she 
lay  completely  sheltered  from  the  tempest  which  raged 
without,  and  we  were  thus,  enabled  to  go  ashore  to  pro- 
cure wood  and  water,  of  which  we  stood  much  in  need. 
For  two  days  we  saw  no  signs  of  inhabitants,  and  thus 
we  incautiously  strolled  about  without  arms  in  our 
hands  to  stretch  our  legs.  I  was  always  of  an  inquisitive 
turn,  fond  of  exploring  strange  countries ;  so  one  day, 
having  parted  from  my  companions,  I  walked  on  into 
the  interior.  I  was  thinking  of  turning  back,  for  the 
day  was  for  advanced,  when  my  attention  was  attracted 
by  a  column  of  smoke  ascending  from  among  a  grove 
of  trees  in  a  valley  at  no  great  distance  from  me,  and 
being  curious  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  it,  I  proceeded 
in  that  direction. 

"  On  reaching  a  hill  which  overlooked  the  spot,  I 
perceived  several  human  beings  seated  round  a  large 
fire    in  front   of  a  rude   hut,  and  busily  employed  in 


MARMADTTKE   MERRT,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.        305 

cutting  slices  from  an  ox,  which  was  roasting  whole 
before  it,  and  which  they  transferred  to  their  mouths, 
smacking  their  lips  to  signify  their  high  relish  for  the 
feast. 

.  "  I  was  very  hungry,  and  certainly  felt  an  inclination 
for  a  piece  of  the  savory  morsels,  the  odor  of  which 
ascended  to  where  I  stood,  but  prudence  advised  me  to 
retire,  for  I  could  not  tell  what  the  disposition  of  the 
savages  might  be.  For  what  I  knew  to  the  contrary, 
they  might  spit  and  roast  me  as  their  dessert. 

"  There  appeared  to  be  a  family  group.  There  was 
an  old  man  and  woman,  whom  I  took  to  be  the  father 
and  mother,  three  younger  females,  whom  I  judged  to 
be  daughters,  and  two  sons.  All  of  them  were  dressed 
in  skins,  and  I  was  enabled  to  distinguish  the  females 
by  their  having  petticoats,  and  their  hair  braided  in  long 
plaits,  which  reached  to  the  ground.  Their  personal 
appearance  was  not  prepossessing,  and  their  voices  were 
so  loud  that  I  could  hear  every  word  they  uttered, 
though  of  course  I  could  not  understand  their  language. 
I  was  on  the  point  of  retreating,  when  one  of  the  young 
ladies,  turning  her  head,  perceived  me  watching  them, 
and.  with  a  loud  cry,  rising  from  her  seat,  she  ran 
toward  me.  I  had  not  before  remarked  the  height  of 
the  savages,  but  as  they  all  stood  up,  I  now  perceived 
that  she  was  full  ten  feet  high,  and  yet  the  shortest  of 
the  party.  Although  not  afraid,  for  fear  was  a  sti'anger 
to  ray  bosom,  I  yet  did  not  relish  the  thoughts  of  having 
to  encounter  such  formidable-looking  personages,  and 
therefore  set  off  toward  the  shore  as  fast  as  my  legs 
would  carry  me,  but  I  soon  found,  by  the  shouts  astern, 
26* 


306         MARMADUKE   MEHRT,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

that  the  young  giantess  had  made  chase,  and,  turning 
my  head  over  my  shoulders,  I  saw  that  she  was  coming 
up  hand  over  hand  with  me.  I  was  on  the  top  of  the 
hill  and  she  was  at  the  hottom,  but  that  made  little  dif- 
ference to  her,  for  on  she  bounded,  like  a  kangai-oo  or  a 
tiger,  and  I  felt  convinced  that  on  flat  ground  I  should 
have  no  chance  of  escape  ;  I  therefore  suddenly  brought 
up,  tacked  about,  and  faced  her  with  my  arms  expanded, 
to  make  me  look  of  more  considerable  size.  She  was 
coming  on  full  tilt.  I  did  not  think  she  was  so  near, 
and  the  consequence  was,  as  she  was  stooping  down,  1 
found  my  arms  round  her  neck,  with  my  feet  off  the 
ground,  while  I  clung  to  her  in  a  very  affectionate  em- 
brace. She  uttered  some  words  which  I  could  not 
understand,  and,  covering  my  face  with  kisses,  ran  back 
with  me  toward  her  companions,  just  as  a  young  lady 
does  a  little  child  she  has  run  after,  laughing  with 
pleasure. 

"  Here  I  was  fairly  caught,  but  I  argued  from  the  be- 
havior of  the  young  lady  that  I  was  not  likely  to  be 
very  severely  treated  by  the  rest.  When  she  got  back 
to  her  family  with  me  in  her  arms,  she  introduced  me 
in  form  to  them,  and  made  me  sit  down  by  her  side, 
while  the  rest  examined  me  minutely  from  head  to  foot. 
After  they  had  gratified  their  curiosity,  and  satisfied 
tliemselves  that  I  was  a  human  being,  she,  observing  my 
eyes  turned  toward  the  roasted  ox,  cut  off  a  slice  and 
handed  it  to  me.  The  animal  was  of  prodigious  size, 
and  would  beat  a  London  prize  ox  hollow.  The  meat 
was  of  delicious  flavor,  though  rather  too  fat  for  my 
taste,  but  in   cold  climates  such  is  generally  preferred. 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         307 

I  found,  however,  that  that  is  not  the  usual  food  of  these 
people,  but  is  considered  a  great  delicacy,  as  they 
live  for  most  part  of  the  year  on  whales  and  seals 
which  they  catch  with  much  ingenuity  with  a  rod 
and  line.  A  whale,  however,  requires,  they  told 
me,  great  skill  and  patience  to  kill,  as  it  is  apt 
to  break  the  tackle.  The  savages,  with  my  slight 
assistance,  having  picked  the  bones  of  the  ox  al- 
most clean,  washed  down  this  repast  with  huge  flagons 
full  of  a  liquor  which  smacked  of  a  taste  remarkably 
like  the  best  schiedam.  It  was,  however,  far  more  po- 
tent, as  I  found  to  my  cost,  for  the  effect  was  such  that  I 
fell  fast  asleep.  In  fact,  I  was  dead  drunk  ;  I  don't  say 
that  I  didn't  take  a  good  swig  of  it,  but  still  it  must  be 
strong  stuff  to  capsize  me.  How  long  I  slept,  or  what 
happened  during  that  time,  I'm  sure  I  don't  know : 
when  I  awoke  the  scene  was  completely  changed.  I 
found  myself  at  the  mouth  of  a  cavern,  lying  on  the 
ground  and  wrapped  up  in  bears'  skins,  with  wild 
rugged  rocks  rising  on  every  side  around  me.  I  tried 
to  rise,  but  to  my  dismay  I  discovered  that  my  limbs 
were  bound,  and  as  I  gazed  on  every  side  I  saw  not  the 
sign  of  an  outlet  by  which  I  might  make  my  escape. 
In  my  rage  I  bawled  out  lustily,  when  I  heard  a  step 
approaching,  which  might,. by  its  sound,  have  been  the 
foot  of  a  young  elephant.  It  was,  however,  that  of  the 
young  lady  who  had  made  me  prisoner.  When  she  saw 
that  I  was  awake  she  sat  herself  down  by  ray  side,  and 
taking  my  hiind  slobbered  it  over  with  kisses,  and  when 
I  rated  her  pretty  roundly  lor  what  she'd  done,  she  al- 
most drowned  me  with  her  tears.     They  came  down  iu 


308         MARJIADUKE   MERKT,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

whole  buckets  full,  like  a  heavy  shower  in  the  tropics : 
it  wasn't  pleasant,  I  can  assure  you.  What  was  the 
matter  with  the  woman  I  could  not  tell ;  in  fiict,  I've 
found  very  little  difference  in  'era  from  one  end  of  the 
world  to  the  other ;  they  are  complete  mystifications ; 
when  you  wants  'em  to  love  you  they  won't,  and  wlien 
you  don't  want  'em  they  will.  What  I  now  wanted  was 
to  get  my  legs  and  arms  loose  to  be  able  to  run  away. 
After  making  a  number  of  signs  to  the  lady,  she  com- 
prehended my  wishes,  and  to  my  great  satisfaction  cast 
off  the  thongs  of  hide  with  which  I  found  she  had 
bound  me  to  prevent  me  escaping,  should  I  awake 
during  her  absence.  She  then  asked  me  my  name, 
when  she  let  me  understand  that  hers  was  Oilyblubbina, 
which,  I  afterwards  learned,  means,  in  the  Patagonian 
tongue,  softener  of  the  soul.  I  heard  her  pi-dnouncing 
my  name  over  and  over  again  to  herself,  so  I  repeated 
hers,  Oilyblubbina,  Oilyblubbina,  Oilyblubbina,  several 
times,  which  plea^^ed  her  mightily.  She  then  produced 
from  a  basket  a  few  rounds  of  beef  and  some  loaves  a 
yard  long,  of  which  she  pressed  me  to  partake.  I  did 
so  gratefully,  for  I  was  in  want  of  my  breakfast.  She 
next  pulled  out  a  bottle  of  schiedam,  but  I  remembered 
the  effects  of  what  I  took  the  day  before,  and  was  cau- 
tious. Having  satisfied  my  hunger,  I  made  signs  to  her 
that  I  was  anxious  to  wish  her  a  very  good  morning, 
and  to  return  to  my  ship,  but  not  one  of  my  liints  would 
she  take.  I  sliook  her  warmly  by  the  hand,  told  her 
that  I  was  much  obliged  to  her  for  her  hospitality,  and 
then  walked  away,  but  wherever  I  went  slie  dodged  my 
steps  and  would  not  let  me  out  of  her  sight  for  a  min- 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         309 

ute.  I  did  my  best  iu  every  way  to  escape,  but  it  was 
no  go ;  in  tact,  young  gentlemen,  I  found  myself  the 
slave  of  this  monster  of  fat  and  ugliness,  for  I  am  sorry 
to  say  that  I  cannot  speak  in  more  flattering  terms  of 
the  fair  Oilyblubbina.  Seeing  that  for  the  present  it 
v^as  hopeless  to  attempt  to  escape,  I  pretended  to  be 
1  econciled  to  my  lot,  and  offering  my  arm  in  the  po- 
litest way  possible,  walked  quietly  by  her  side,  though  I 
confess,  that  I  had  to  put  my  best  foot  foremost  to  keep 
up  with  her.  She  was  evidently  pleased  with  my  al- 
tei'ed  behavior,  and  smiled  and  ogled  me  most  lovingly. 
How  her  eyes  did  roll ! 

'•  The  effect,  however,  was  very  different  to  what  she 
intended.  I  dare  say  her  heart  was  as  tender  as  that 
of  women  of  more  moderate  dimensions,  but  I  cannot 
say  that  I  liked  those  ogles  of  hers.  Well,  on  we 
walked,  talking  a  great  deal  all  the  time,  though  I  don't 
pretend  I  understood  a  word  she  uttered,  nor  do  I  sup- 
pose she  did  what  I  said.  She  told  me,  however,  a  very 
long  story,  which  by  her  actions  I  judged  intimated 
that  she  had  lost  some  one,  and  that  I  was  to  supply  his 
place.  All  I  know  is  that,  after  weeping  a  great  deal, 
she  finished  by  taking  me  in  her  arms  and  covering  me 
with  kisses.  I  had  before  suspected,  from  the  absence 
of  any  of  that  bashful  timidity  found  in  a  young  girl, 
that  she  was  a  widow,  and  such  I  learned  from  her 
father  was  the  case. 

"  We  were  now  close  to  the  hut  where  I  had  first 
seen  the  savages,  and  there  her  father  and  two  brothers 
appeared  before  us,  while  I  found  the  old  mother  and 
two  sisters  had  been  stowed  away  in  the  brushwood, 


310         MAKMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

watching  our  proceedings.  Instead  of  appearing  angry, 
tlie  father  took  me  by  tlie  hand,  and  warmly  pressing  it, 
placed  it  in  that  of  his  daughter,  and  then  he  rubbed 
our  noses  together,  which  I  found  was  a  sign  of  be- 
trothal, and  then  all  the  family  came  and  hugged  me, 
one  after  the  other.  In  fact,  I  found  that  I  was  become 
one  of  the  domestic  circle,  and  to  supply  the  place  of  a 
lost  husband  to  the  young  widow.  It  was  by  no  means 
pleasant,  let  me  tell  you,  that  hugging  and  kissing,  for 
the  oil  and  fat  those  people  consume  give  them  a  very 
unpleasant  odor,  and  it  was  some  time  before  I  could  get 
it  out  of  my  nostrils.  These  considerations,  with  my 
anxiety  to  proceed  on  my  voyage,  determined  me  not 
to  yield  tamely  to  my  fate,  for,  as  to  having  to  spend  the 
rest  of  my  days  in  the  society  of  Oilyblubbina,  that  was 
out  of  the  question.  I  had,  however,  no  reason  to  com- 
plain of  my  treatment  by  them,  for  they  would  not  allow 
me  to  do  any  woi-k,  but  brought  me  the  best  food,  and 
did  every  thing  for  me.  Yet,  notwithstanding  all  her 
tenderness,  the  charms  of  the  loving  Oilyblubbina  could 
not  move  my  flinty  heart ;  but  I  v,-as  obliged  to  hide  my 
real  sentiments,  for  I  had  no  fancy,  unarmed  as  I  was, 
to  fight  the  father  and  two  brothers,  not  to  speak  of 
having  to  contend  against  the  rage  of  the  disappointed 
lady  and  her  female  relatives. 

"  Three  not  over  agreeable  days  had  thus  passed,  and 
I  was  beginning  to  fear  lest  my  shipmates,  giving  me  up 
for  lost,  might  have  sailed  away  without  me,  though  I 
knew  that  they  valued  me  too  much  to  desert  me  till  all 
hopes  were  gone.  That  day  the  family  dinner  was 
composed  of  a  large  mess  of  whale's  flesh  and  blubber, 


MARMADTJKB   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         311 

boiled  in  a  cauldron,  and  washed  down  as  usual  with 
huge  beakers  of  schiedam  ;  but  I  watched  my  opportu- 
nity, and  each  time  the  cup  was  passed  to  me  I  emptied 
it  by  my  side  unperceived  by  the  rest.  I  all  the  time 
made  them  suppose  that  I  was  drinking  more  than  usual, 
and  appearing  to  be  perfectly  drunk,  pretended  to  fall 
off  into  a  sound  sleep.  When  it  grew  dark  the  young 
lady,  as  was  her  custom,  carried  me  into  the  cavern,  and 
bound  my  hands  and  feet  to  prevent  my  running  away, 
but  as  she  was  fastening  the  thongs  I  contrived  to  slip 
my  hands  out  of  them.  While  I  thus  lay  I  looked  out 
carefully  through  my  half-opened  eyelids,  and  observed 
all  the  family  retiring  to  their  different  roosting-places.  It 
was  an  anxious  time  ;  one  after  the  other  they  dropped 
asleep,  and  then,  to  my  great  satisfaction,  commenced  a 
chorus  of  snoring  which  sounded  more  like  the  roaring 
of  a  hundred  bulls  than  any  thing  I  had  ever  before 
heard.  The  moon  was  fortunately  high  in  the  heavens, 
and  there  was  light  enough  for  me  to  see  my  way,  which 
I  had  been  careful  to  note  well.  Crawling  therefore 
out  of  my  skins,  I  put  a  block  of  wood  where  my  head 
had  been  and  rolled  them  again  up  to  make  it  appear 
that  I  was  still  there,  and  then  cautiously  crept  away  in 
the  direction  of  the  cove  where  I  had  left  my  ship.  As 
soon  as  I  was  out  of  hearing  I  set  off  and  ran  as  fast 
as  my  legs  would  carry  me,  up  hill  and  down  dale, 
through  woods  and  across  moors,  without  stopping  to 
look  behind  me,  for  I  knew  that  when  a  man  is  rifn- 
ning  away  from  an  angry  lady  he  must  put  his  best  foot 
foremost. 

"  I  had  just  reached  the  top  of  a  hill,  whence,  to  my 


312         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

great  joy,  I  beheld  my  ship  floating  calmly  in  the  bay 
below  me,  when  I  heard  a  loud  cry  in  the  rear.  I 
looked  round  —  it  was  the  loving  Oilyblubbina.  She 
came  on  at  a  furious  pace,  tearing  up  the  young  trees  as 
she  passed,  in  her  eagerness  to  catch  me.  I  dashed 
down  the  hill  —  I  flew  rather  than  ran  —  I  rushed 
through  rivulets,  I  jumped  down  precipices,  nothing 
stopped  me  —  I  made  light  of  a  leap  of  a  hundred  feet. 
I  have  run  very  fast  at  times,  but  I  never  ran  so  fast 
before  nor  since  ;  she,  however,  was  gaining  on  me  ; 
in  a  few  minutes  more  she  would  be  up  with  me.  It 
was  very  awful.  A  high  cliff  was  before  me  ;  without 
hesitation  I  threw  myself  over  it ;  death  was  preferable 
to  slavery  —  and  such  slavery.  I  reached  the  shore  in 
safety,  but,  horror  of  horrors  !  she  came  after  me,  and 
alighted  unhurt  on  the  shore.  The  ship  was  at  some 
distance,  but  I  plunged  into  the  sea  to  swim  on  board. 
I  now  thought  myself  safe,  for  I  had  no  idea  that  she 
could  swim,  but  she  could,  and  after  me  she  came, 
blowing  like  a  grampus.  It  takes  my  breath  away  even 
now  to  think  of  it.  I  struck  out  boldly  ;  the  water 
bubbled  and  hissed  as  I  threw  it  aside.  I  told  you  I 
was  a  good  swimmer,  but  so  was  she.  On  she  came, 
and  every  instant  I  expected  to  feel  my  foot  in  her 
grasp.  If  a  man  can  have  any  reason  for  being  afraid, 
I  surely  then  had  one.  We  had  swam  a  mile,  and  the 
brig  was  some  way  off.  I  hallooed  to  my  shipmates, 
but  they  did  not  hear  me.  Louder  and  louder  grew 
tlie  blowing  of  the  lady  as  she  spluttered  the  salt-water 
from  her  mouth ;  she  was  within  a  few  yards  of  me, 
and  in  another  minute  I  should  have  been  captured, 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         313 

when  a  dark  object  passed  close  to  me  —  it  was  my 
pet  shark.  There  was  a  loud  scream  and  a  gurgling 
noise.  A  dreadful  thought  occurred  to  me  —  it  was 
too  true !  I  was  safe,  but  the  loving  Oilyblubbina  had 
been  swallowed  by  the  monster.  She  must  have  been 
a  tough  morsel,  for  after  his  performance  he  lay  some 
time  on  his  back  utterly  unable  to  move.  A  revolution 
had  taken  place  in  my  feelings :  I  did  not  wish  her 
death,  I  only  wanted  to  run  away  from  her,  and  1 
mourned  her  untimely  fate.  I,  however,  considered 
that  my  lamentations  could  not  restore  her  to  her 
afflicted  family,  so,  as  soon  as  the  shark  had  recovered, 
I  placed  myself  on  his  back,  and  made  him  convey 
me  alongside  my  ship.  It  was  time  for  me  to  be  off*, 
for,  as  I  was  throwing  my  legs  across  him,  I  saw  by 
the  light  of  the  moon  the  whole  family  rushing  down 
the  hill  to  plunge  into  the  sea  after  me,  and  I  doubt 
if  he  could  have  swallowed  any  more  of  them. 

"  Thus  was  I  delivered  from  one  of  the  greatest 
dangers  it  has  ever  been  my  lot  to  encounter.  When 
I  got  on  board,  my  shipmates  welcomed  me  warmly, 
and  sincerely  congratulated  me  on  my  escape.  The 
gale  had  abated,  and  as  old  Blowhard  had  been  only 
waiting  for  my  return  to  put  to  sea,  we  instantly  made 
sail,  and  stood  out  of  the  harbor  with  our  faithful  shark 
in  company.  I  dare  say  to  this  day  the  Patagonian 
chief  fully  believes  that  we  carried  off  his  daughter ; 
so,  in  a  certain  sense,  we  did,  but  not  exactly  in  the 
way  he  supposes.  Poor  man,  it  was  better  that  he 
should  not.     It  was  very  dreadful." 

Jonathan  was  silent ;  he  took  a  long  pull  at  his  tum- 

27 


314         MARMABTJKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

bier,  and  gave  a  deep  sigh,  which  sounded  not  unlike  a 

peal  of  thunder  along  the    decks.     Gogles'   eyes  had 

been    growing    larger    and    larger,    and    rounder    and 

rounder,    and   his    mouth   had  been   gaping  more  and 

more. 

"  What  a  dreadful  thing  I  "  he  exclaimed,  drawing  his 

breath.     "  I  wonder  you  could  bring  yourself  to  sit  on 

the  shark's  back  after  what  he'd  done." 

Mr.  Johnson  did  not  answer ;   he  only  sighed.     He 

was   meditating  on   the  tragic  fate  of  his  loving  Oily- 

blubbina. 

We  again  began  to  be  afraid  that,  overcome  by  the 

recollections  which  he  had  been  conjuring  up,  he  might 
not  continue  his  narrative. 

"  That  was,  indeed,  a  dreadful  way  to  lose  your  in- 
tended wife,"  observed  Gray,  wishing  to  rouse  him  up. 
Mr.  Johnson's  eyes  twinkled. 

"  It  was  —  it  was,"  he  answered  emphatically.  "  Poor 
Oilyblubbina !  I  would  rather  have  found  a  pleasanter 
for  her  sake,  but  it  was  sure.  There  was  little  chance 
of  her  coming  to  life  again.  Dreadful !  I  believe  you, 
it  was  dreadful.  I  was  not  sorry  when  we  lost  sight 
of  the  high  land  of  Patagonia,  so  full  of  painful  recol- 
lections to  me.  For  two  or  three  days  the  weather 
was  fine,  but  our  ill-luck  had  not  deserted  us,  for 
another  gale  sprang  up,  and  drove  us  back  again  very 
nearly  into  the  very  harbor  near  which  the  family  of 
Oilyblubbina  resided.  I  never  felt  so  uncomfortable 
in  my  life  lest  I  should  fall  into  their  hands,  and  they 
might  insist  on  my  marrying  another  daughter.  To 
do  her  justice,  my  poor  lost  Oilyblubbina  was  by  far 


MAltMADUKE   MEBRT,   THE   MIDSHTPJIAN.         315 

the  best  looking  of  the  female  members  of  the  family. 
However,  we  managed  to  keep  the  sea,  and  at  length 
recovered  our  lost  ground.  Once  well  round  the  Cape, 
we  steered  north,  putting  into  several  ports,  but  nothing 
extraordinary  happened.  Our  pet  shark  followed  us, 
and  always  kept  watch  round  the  ship.  I  invariably 
used  to  ride  on  him  about  the  harbors,  just  as  if  he  had 
been  a  sea-horse,  and  astonished  the  Dons  not  a  IJttle, 
I  calculate.  In  fact,  I  had  some  thoughts  of  having  a 
high  saddle  made  to  fit  his  back,  so  as  to  keep  my 
feet  out  of  the  water.  In  calms  he  was  very  useful  in 
towing  the  ship  in  and  out  of  harbor.  By  the  by,  I 
omitted  to  tell  you  of  an  occurrence  which  took  place 
while  we  were  on  the  eastern  coast.  One  night  when 
I  had  charge  of  the  deck,  feeling  that  there  was  no 
use  keeping  the  men  out  of  their  hammocks,  as  they 
had  been  hard  worked  lately,  and  I  could  do  as  much 
any  day  as  half  the  ship's  company,  I  told  them  to  turn 
in.  You've  all  heard,  of  course,  of  the  Pampeiros  of 
South  America.  They  are  heavy  squalls  which  come 
off  the  Pampas  of  that  extraordinary  country.  For  an 
hour  or  more  I  had  stood  at  the  helm,  admiring  the 
stars,  and  thinking  of  the  number  of  strange  things 
which  had  happened  to  me,  when  on  a  sudden,  without 
tlie  slightest  warning,  I  found  my  teeth  almost  blown 
down  my  throat,  and,  before  I  could  sing  out  to  shorten 
sail,  over  went  the  vessel  on  her  beam  ends  with  such 
force,  that  even  the  sea  didn't  stop  her ;  but  while  I 
hung  on  to  the  wheel  for  dear  life,  down  went  her  masts 
perpendicularly,  and  up  she  came  on  the  other  side,  and 
to   my  infinite  satisfaction  righted  herself  with  a  jerk, 


316      mAlRMAdtike  merry,  the  midshipman. 

■which  sent  every  thing  into  its  place  again.  So  rapid 
was  the  movement,  that  nothing  was  washed  away,  nor 
were  any  of  the  people  awakened.  Indeed,  they  would 
not  believe  what  had  happened  even  when  I  told  them, 
till  they  found  a  turn  in  the  clews  of  their  hammock'*, 
for  which  they  could  not  otherwise  account.  Many  of 
my  old  shipmates  in  the  Lady  Stiggins  are  still  alive, 
and  will  vouch  for  the  truth  of  my  statement." 

"  Are  you  certain,  bo'sun,  that  you  did  not  take  the 
turns  yourself  while  the  people  were  on  deck,  and  then 
get  them  all  to  go  to  sleep  that  you  might  make  them 
believe  your  story  ? "  asked  some  one  outside,  in  a 
feigned  voice. 

"  Wouldn't  it  be  easier,  stupid,  to  invent  the  story 
from  beginning  to  end,  if  I  wanted  to  impose  on  any 
one  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Johnson,  with  pretended  indignation. 
"  However,  as  I  have  more  than  once  before  observed, 
I  have  an  especial  objection  to  be  interrupted  by  cavil- 
lers and  doubters ;  so  I'll  thank  you,  Mr.  Dubersorae, 
to  keep  your  notions  bottled  up  in  the  empty  skull  which 
holds  all  the  wits  you've  got.  Ho  !  ho  !  ho  !  I  generally 
contrive  to  give  as  much  as  I  get.  But  I  must,  I  see, 
proceed  with  my  veracious  narrative. 

"  We  at  last  left  the  coast  to  visit  some  of  the  islands 
in  the  South  Pacific.  The  first  place  we  touched  at 
was  the  island  of  Pomparee.  It  was  then  governed 
by  a  king  and  queen,  who  had  an  only  daughter,  the 
Pi'incess  Chickchick.  The  ship  wanted  some  repairs, 
and  as  we  hove  lier  down  here,  I  had  plenty  of  time  to 
become  acquainted  with  the  people.  Every  thing  in 
that  island  was  made  of  coral.     In  the  first  place  it  was 


MARMADUKE   MEKRT,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         317 

coral  itself,  then  the  reefs  which  surrounded  it  were 
coj'al,  and  the  rocks  were  coral,  and  the  sand  was  com- 
posed of  bits  of  coral.  The  palace  of  the  king  was 
built  of  coral,  and  so  were  the  houses  of  the  people, 
only  his  was  red,  which  is  scarce,  and  theirs  of  plebeian 
white.  It  had  a  very  pretty  effect,  I  can  assure  you.  The 
chairs  and  tables  would,  I  doubt  not,  have  been  made 
of  coral,  only  they  did  not  use  them  ;  in  fact,  their  no- 
tion of  furnishing  a  house  is  very  different  to  oui's.  A 
few  mats,  and  baskets,  and  pipkins,  is  all  they  require. 
Their  garments  are  somewhat  scanty  too,  but  the  wea- 
ther is  all  the  year  round  so  warm  that  it  would  be  ab- 
surd for  them  to  dress  up  as  we  do.  The  king's  dress 
on  grand  occasions  was  a  crown  of  gay-colored  feathers, 
and  a  sort  of  Scotch  kilt  of  the  same  material,  with  a 
cloak  over  his  shoulder.  The  queen  also  wore  a  petti- 
coat, and  so  did  little  Chickchick,  but  not  a  rap  else, 
nor  did  they  seem  to  think  it  was  necessary.  The 
king's  name  was  Rumfiz,  and  her  majesty  was  called 
Pillow.  They  wei'e  an  amiable  couple,  and  remarkably 
fond  of  each  other.  When  I  observed  that  every  thing 
in  the  island  was  made  of  coral,  I  did  not  mean  to  say 
that  there  were  no  trees,  for  there  were  a  great  many 
very  beautiful  ones,  bread-fruit  trees,  and  cocoa-nuts, 
and  palms,  and  many  others.  I  made  the  acquaintance 
of  his  august  majesty  after  I  had  been  on  the  island  a 
few  days.  I  was  one  evening  walking  by  myself  some 
little  way  inland,  when  I -found  myself  almost  in  front 
of  the  king's  palace.  He  had  been  snoozing  after  eating 
his  dinner  to  get  an  appetite  for  supper,  when  he  was 
awoke  by  hearing  his  courtiers  cry  out  that  a  white  man 


318         MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

was  come  among  them.  He  jumped  up,  rubbed  his 
eyes,  and  addressed  me  in  the  following  harangue  : 

"'You  Englishman,  why  you  come  now?  —  come 
by-by,  eat  supper  plenty.' 

"  By  this  I  understood  that  his  majesty  was  inviting 
me  to  supper,  which  was  the  fact.  I  accordingly  lighted 
my  pipe,  and  sat  down  under  a  tree  to  smoke,  while  the 
king  got  into  his  hammock  again  and  went  to  sleep. 
Presently  a  number  of  courtiers  came  and  spread  mats 
in  the  shade  near  where  I  was  sitting,  and  others 
brought  baskets  filled  with  bread-fruit,  and  cocoa-nuts, 
and  grapes  ;  and  the  King  Rumfiz  got  up,  and  came  and 
sat  down  with  Queen  Pillow  and  the  Princess  Chick- 
chick,  and  several  other  lords  and  ladies.  They  all 
looked  as  if  they  were  waiting  for  something,  and  pre- 
sently they  set  up  a  loud  shout  as  a  number  of  slaves 
appeared  with  large  baskets  on  their  heads,  dripping 
with  water.  I  watched  what  was  to  be  done,  when  I  saw 
the  king  lean  back,  and  a  slave  pull  out  a  live  fish  from 
the  basket,  which  he  clapped  into  his  majesty's  mouth. 
The  fish  wriggled  his  tail  about  a  little,  and  the  king 
rolled  his  eyes  with  delight  till  it  slipped  down  his 
throat,  and  then  he  rubbed  the  region  to  which  it  had 
descended,  as  if  it  had  afforded  him  the  highest  satis- 
faction. 

"  The  queen's  turn  came  next,  and  I  thought  she 
would  have  been  choked  with  the  size  of  the  fish,  which 
went  wriggling  all  alive  down  her  throat.  The  cour- 
tiers were  next  allowed  to  enjoy  tho  same  luxury,  while 
little  Chickchick  and  the  ladies-in-waiting  amused  them- 
selves by  letting  handfuls  of  prawns  playfully  skip  down 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  319 

their  throats.  After  a  little  time  the  king  made  signs 
that  he  was  ready  for  another  fish,  which  in  like  manner 
was  let  down  his  throat,  and  in  this  way  he  consumed 
two  or  three  dozen  live  fish  (I  like  to  be  under  the 
mark),  and  the  queen  and  courtiers  nearly  the  same 
number  each.  In  that  country  it  is  the  royal  preroga- 
tive of  the  king  to  eat  more  than  any  of  his  subjects. 
They  were  all  much  surprised  to  find  that  I  could  not 
eat  the  live  fish,  for  as  they  thought  me  a  superior  being 
to  any  of  themselves,  they  fancied  that  I  could  do  more 
than  they  could.  I  did  try  to  swallow  a  few  prawns, 
but  they  stuck  in  my  throat,  and  made  me  terribly  husky 
for  all  the  rest  of  the  evening.  I,  however,  soon  learned 
to  eat  live  fish  as  well  as  the  best  of  them,  and  before  I 
left  the  island  I  could  swallow  one  as  large  as  a  tolerable- 
sized  salmon  ;  but  then,  of  course,  they  had  no  spikes 
on  their  backs.  I  once  saw  the  king  swallow  a  conger  ; 
—  I  don't  think  I  could  have  managed  one  myself,  but 
you  never  know  what  you  can  do  till  you  try. 

"  After  supper  the  maids  of  honor  and  the  courtiers 
got  up  to  have  a  dance,  and  I  toed-it  and  heeled-it  with 
the  princess  to  her  heart's  content.  Didn't  I  come  the 
double-shuffle  in  fine  style  !  No  man  could  ever  beat  me 
in  dancing,  and  when  I  had  got  a  princess  for  my 
partner  it  was  the  time  to  show  off.  The  king  was  de- 
lighted, and  asked  me  at  once  to  come  and  put  up  at  his 
palace,  and  to  bring  a  few  bottles  of  rum,  and  some 
pipes  and  baccy  with  me.  This  I  did  as  soon  as  the 
duties  of  the  ship  would  allow  me.  Well,  I  soon  be- 
came great  friends  with  the  king  and  queen,  and  I  used 
to  go  up  to  the  palace  every  day  and  sit  and  smoke  a 


320         MAKMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

pipe  with  his  majesty  in  a  cosy  way,  and  frequently  the 
queen  would  come  and  take  a  whifF  out  of  my  pipe,  till 
she  learnt  to  smoke  too,  and  I  then  taught  her  to  chaw 
baccy.  She  was  very  fond  of  a  quid,  let  me  tell  ye, 
and  we  became  as  friendly  as  two  mice.  All  the  time 
little  Chiekchick  used  to  sit  up  in  a  corner  by  heri>elf, 
making  a  mat  or  a  straw  hat,  or  some  such  sort  of  thing, 
looking  up  at  me  with  her  beautiful  eyes,  and  listening 
to  all  I  was  saying,  though,  for  the  matter  of  that,  she 
could  not  understand  much  of  my  lingo.  At  last  I 
caught  the  dear  little  thing  at  it,  and  I  thought  she 
would  like  to  learn  to  smoke  also,  so  I  taught  her,  and 
I  was  not  long  in  finding  out  that  she  had  fallen  desper- 
ately in  love  with  me.  Of  course,  I  could  not  do  less 
than  return  the  compliment,  and  told  her  so,  which 
pleased  her  mightily.  In  fact,  the  king  and  queen  and  I, 
with  the  princess,  had  a  pleasant  life  of  it,  with  nothing 
to  do  and  plenty  to  eat  and  drink. 

" '  Now,'  said  the  king  one  day  to  me,  as  we  were 
sitting  over  our  pipes  and  grog,  '  you  won't  go  away  in 
big  ship  —  you  no  go — you  stay  marry  Chiekchick  — 
be  my  son  —  moch  better.  Enemy  come,  you  fight ; 
friend  come,  you  talk.' 

"  By  this  I  concluded  he  wanted  me  to  become  his 
prime  minister  —  a  sort  of  first-lieutenant  kings  have  to 
do  all  the  work  for  them. 

" '  I'll  think  the  matter  over,  your  majesty,'  I  an- 
swered, '  and  if  I  can  manage  it,  I'll  stay.' 

"  This  answer  seemed  to  please  him  mightily,  and 
little  Chiekchick  came  up  laughing  and  singing  to  me 
soon  afterwards,  and  told  me  she  was  so  glad  of  that ; 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         321 

she  should  like  to  be  my  wife  above  all  things.  It  was 
a  little  bit  of  unsophisticated  nature  which  pleased  me 
amazingly.  I  then  arranged  with  the  captain  to  remain 
there  while  he  went  cruising  among  the  other  islands, 
and  he  was  then  to  come  back  and  take  me  to  the  South 
Polar  Sea,  where  we  were  bound  on  a  whaling  cruise." 
The  ship  sailed  away,  and  so  did  my  pet  shark,  whom 
I  afterwards  heard  pined  and  grew  thin,  and  wouldn't 
even  take  his  food  when  he  found  I  was  not  on  board. 
It  was  a  mark  of  affection  which  touched  me  sensibly. 

"  I  thus  became,  by  my  own  intrinsic  merits,  a  prime 
minister  and  son-in-law  to  a  king.  I  had  not  an  un- 
pleasant life  of  it  altogether  ;  the  princess  was  very 
fond  of  me,  and  the  people  were  easily  governed.  The 
secret  was  to  let  them  do  exactly  what  they  liked.  I 
used,  also,  to  make  them  huge  promises,  which,  though 
I  never  kept,  served  to  amuse  them  for  the  time,  and  I 
always  had  the  knack  of  wriggling  out  of  a  scrape, 
Avhich  is  the  secret  of  all  government.  The  first  thing 
I  did  was  to  tell  them  that  I  would  advise  the  king  to 
abolish  all  taxes  which  were  made  on  bread-fruit,  and 
when  by  this  means  I  became  very  popular  as  a  liberal 
minister,  I  published  an  edict,  ordaining  that  every  man 
should  send  twice  as  many  cocoa-nuts  to  the  imperial 
treasury  as  before.  The  people  had  enjoyed  a  long 
peace,  and  had  become  unwarlike,  so  when  they  cri^d 
out  that  it  was  useless  trouble  making  spears  and 
bows  and  arrows  and  in  building  war  canoes,  I  let  them 
have  their  own  way,  which  made  me  still  more  popular. 
I  took  the  precaution,  however,  of  keeping  my  own 
musket  ready  in  my  house  in  case  of  accidents,  as  it 


322         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

was  the  only  fire-arm  in  the  kingdom.  There  were 
numerous  islands  in  the  neighborhood,  and  on  some  of 
them  King  Rumfiz  had  in  his  youth  inflicted  a  signal 
chastisement,  which  they  had  never  forgotten  nor  for- 
given. 

"  They  had,  in  the  mean  time,  knocked  over  two  or 
three  of  their  own  kings,  and  had  established  what  they 
called  a  republic.  From  what  I  could  make  out,  one 
half  of  the  people  were  trying  to  become  governors,  and 
the  other  half  trying  not  to  be  governed.  They  had  for 
some  time  past  been  eating  each  other  up,  but  having 
got  tired  of  that  fun,  and  wanting  a  change  of  diet,  they 
thought  it  would  be  pleasanter  to  attack  some  other 
people.  I  discovered  that  they  had  already  a  large  ex- 
pedition on  foot,  and  numerous  canoes  ready  to  transport 
them,  though  it  was  pretended  that  these  forces  were  to 
attack  another  island  to  the  eastward  of  them.  A  spy, 
however,  brought  me  the  intelligence  of  what  they  were 
about,  so  I  endeavored  to  make  preparations  to  give 
them  a  warm  reception  ;  but  the  people  would  not  hear 
of  it,  and  said  it  was  a  great  deal  too  much  trouble  to 
make  bows  and  arrows,  and  build  canoes  to  guard 
against  a  danger  which  might  never  arrive. 

"  There  were  several  fellows  among  them,  some  of 
whom,  I  verily  believe,"  had  been  bribed  by  the  enemy, 
who  persuaded  them  that  it  was  much  wiser  to  make 
mats  and  hats  and  cloths  to  sell  to  the  merchantmen 
than  to  think  of  fighting. 

"  Such  was  the  condition  of  the  country,  when  one 
morning,  as  I  was  walking  on  the  sea-shore  meditating 
on  the  affairs  of  state,  I  observed  a  large  fleet  of  canoes 


MABMADUKE    MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPilAN.         323 

pulling  toward  the  island  ;  I  ran  back  to  the  palace  to 
tell  the  king,  and  sent  messengers  in  every  direction  to 
warn  the  people.  All  was  now  hurry,  and  confusion, 
and  dismay.  The  first  thing  they  did  was  to  tumble  the 
peace-councillors  into  the  sea  with  lumps  of  coral  round 
their  necks,  and  they  then  set  to  woi-k  to  string  their 
bows  and  to  point  their  arrows  and  their  spears.  All 
the  genei'als  had  plans  of  their  own  ;  some  proposed  let- 
ting the  enemy  land  while  they  defended  the  king's 
palace ;  some  to  meet  him  half  way,  others  to  capitulate, 
while  I  collected  as  many  men  as  I  could  and  marched 
them  down  to  the  beach.  I  had  my  musket  and 
ammunition  concealed  in  a  bush  for  a  last  efibrt,  should 
the  day  be  against  us.  The  king  came  out  in  his 
best  dress,  and  harangued  his  army  to  the  following 
effect : 

"  '  We  much  fine  fellows  —  much  brave  —  much 
good  ;  de  enemy  great  blackguard  —  much  coward  — 
much  bad  —  much  beast ;  shoot  arrow,  kill  plenty.' 

'•  On  this  the  army  cheered  and  waved  their  spears 
and  bows.  We  reached  the  beach  but  just  in  time  to 
receive  the  enemy,  who  were  mightily  disappointed,  ex- 
pecting to  land  without  any  trouble,  and  to  make  a  fine 
feast  of  our  carcases.  On  seeing  us  they  set  up  a  ter- 
rific shout,  in  the  hopes  of  frightening  us  away,  but  it 
was  no  go,  and  then  they  began  to  pepper  us  with  their 
arrows,  which  came  as  thick  as  hail  about  our  ears. 
Under  cover  of  this  shower  they  pulled  into  the  beach. 
Our  warriors  were  brave,  but  they  were  long  unaccus- 
tomed to  fighting,  and  many  were  killed  and  driven 
back  by  the  enemy.     I  trembled  for  my  father-in-law's 


324         MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

throne,  when  I  considered  that  the  time  had  arrived  to 
bring  my  musket  into  play.  The  first  fire  astonished 
them  not  a  little,  but  when  they  found  that  this  patent 
thunder-maker  (as  they  called  it)  knocked  over  two  or 
three  fellows  every  time  it  spoke,  tliey  thought  it  was 
high  time  to  turn  tail  and  be  off.  As  soon  as  the  enemy 
began  to  retreat,  the  mob  came  forward  in  crowds  to 
attack  them,  shrieking  and  swearing,  and  abusing  them 
like  pickpockets,  though  they  had,  while  there  was  any 
danger,  kept  carefully  out  of  the  way.  I  continued 
firing  on  the  retreating  foe  as  long  as  they  continued  in 
sight,  for  my  gun  could  carry  further  than  any  other  in 
existence.  It  was  made  under  my  own  directions,  and 
was  a  very  extraordinary  weapon.  If  it  had  not  been 
for  that  gun,  I  believe  King  Rumfiz  would  have  lost  his 
kingdom.  He  was  very  grateful  to  me,  as,  to  do  them 
justice,  were  all  his  subjects  ;  and  I  found  that  I  was 
unanimously  elected  as  the  heir  to  the  throne.  My 
honors  did  not  make  me  proud,  for  I  felt  that  I  deserved 
them,  and  I  became,  for  some  time,  more  popular  than 
ever.  A  neighboring  island,  however,  which  had  been 
for  centuries  attached  to  the  dominions  of  King  Rumfiz, 
gave  me  much  trouble,  for  though  many  of  the  inhabi- 
tants were  descended  from  his  own  people,  they  insisted 
on  making  themselves  independent  (as  they  called  it)  and 
having  a  king  of  their  own.  They  were  great  cannibals, 
and  used  to  eat  each  other  up  without  ceremony,  and  as 
for  hissing,  hooting,  and  swearing,  few  people  could 
match  them.  The  name  of  the  island  was  Blarney 
Botherum.  When  I  first  visited  them,  I  thought,  from 
their  own  account,  that  they  were  a  nation  of  heroes 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         325 

kept  in  chains  by  King  Rumfiz  for  his  own  especial 
pleasure  and  amusement,  and  that  if  I  could  make  them 
free  they  would  set  a  bright  example  to  the  rest  of  the 
world  of  intelligence,  civilization,  and  all  the  virtues  which 
adorn  human  nature.  I  soon,  however,  discovered  that 
the  people  of  Blarney  Botherum  were  the  greatest  hum- 
bugs under  the  sun.  They  had  got  a  set  of  people 
among  them  whom  they  called  medicine  men,  who  told 
them  that  there  was  a  big  medicine  man  in  a  distant 
part  of  the  world,  whom  they  were  to  obey  instead  of 
King  Rumfiz,  and  that,  provided  they  told  him  the 
truth,  and  gave  them  cocoa-nuts  and  bread-fruits,  they 
might  tell  as  many  lies  as  they  liked  to  the  king,  and 
might  rob  and  cheat  him  as  much  as  they  pleased. 
Whenever,  therefore,  the  little  medicine  men  wanted 
cocoa-nuts  and  bread-fruits,  they  used  to  tell  the  people 
the  big  one  required  food,  and  their  whole  occupation 
was  to  throw  dust  in  the  eyes  of  King  Rumfiz  (as  the 
Turks  say),  so  that  he  might  not  find  out  their  knavery." 


28 


326         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

Mr.  Johnson  leaned  back  in  his  seat,  when,  slowly 
stooping  down  for  his  tumbler,  he  brought  it  deliberate- 
ly to  his  mouth,  and  took  a  prolonged  sip.  Then  shak- 
ing his  head,  he  observed,  "  Politics  are  awful  things  to 
meddle  with  —  the  very  thought  of  what  I  endured, 
turns  my  throat  into  a  dust-hole."  Again  he  sipped, 
and  again  he  shook  his  h^ad.  "  Young  gentlemen,"  he 
said  solemnly,  "  if  ever  any  of  you  rise  to  the  top  of  the 
profession,  and  I  hope  you  may  —  and  should  his  Majes- 
ty, King  George,  send  for  you,  and  offer  to  make  you  a 
Prime  Minister,  take  an  old  man's  advice,  and  respect- 
fully decline  the  honor.  Say,  that  standing  at  the  helm 
of  one  of  his  ships,  and  fighting  her  as  long  as  there  is 
a  shot  in  the  locker,  is  one  thing,  and  standing  at  the 
helm  of  State,  and  being  badgered  by  friends  and  foes 
alike,  is  another.  You  may  quote  me  as  an  authority. 
"Well,  I  was  telling  you  how  I  managed  when  I  was 
Prime  Minister  to  King  Rumfiz,  and  of  the  trouble 
caused  me  by  certain  personages  in  the  island  of  Blar- 
ney Botherum. 

"  I  was  not  long  in  discovering  the  tricks  of  these 
medicine  men,  and  of  their  friends  who  lived  on  a  trade 
they  called  patriotism,  but  the  difficulty  was  to  catch 
them.  I  at  last,  however,  found  a  few  tripping,  and 
having  hung  them  up,  the  rest  were  very  soon  brought 
into  a  state  of  implicit  obedience  to  my  commands. 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         327 

"  As  soon  as  I  had  restored  peace  to  the  country,  I 
thought  that  it  would  be  advisable  to  reform  the  consti- 
tution. I  had  some  slight  difficulty  in  comprehending 
its  principles,  especially  as  I  only  as  yet  imperfectly  un- 
derstood the  language.  My  notions  were,  however,  so 
opposed  by  the  sages  of  the  country,  and  so  great  was 
the  commotion  created,  that  it  was  with  no  slight  satis- 
faction I  saw  the  Lady  Stigghis  approaching  the  island 
under  full  sail,  as  I  was  one  morning  sitting  on  the 
beach  cutting  ducks  and  drakes  with  oyster  shells  over 
the  calm  blue  water  of  the  bay. 

"  I  have  a  good  strong  voice  of  my  own  even  now, 
but  then  I  could  make  myself  heard  three  or  four  miles 
off  at  least,  and  sometimes,  when  I  was  in  tone,  much 
further.  The  only  other  man  I  ever  met  at  all  equal  to 
me  was  a  Frenchman,  the  master  of  a  privateer ;  and 
■we  once  carried  on  a  conversation  together,  he  sitting 
on  the  shores  of  Calais,  I  on  the  cliffs  of  Dover.  "Well, 
I  stood  up,  and  hailing  the  Lady  Stiggins,  waved  my 
hat  over  my  head.  My  former  shipmates  heard  me, 
though  for  a  long  time  they  could  not  tell  where  the 
voice  came  from.  Another  old  friend,  however,  was 
more  quick  of  hearing,  and  sight  too.  I  saw  a  commo- 
tion in  the  water,  as  if  an  arrow  was  passing  through 
it,  so  fast  did  it  draw  near.  Presently  a  black  fin  ap- 
peared, and  then  thei'e  was  a  tremendous  rush,  and  then 
who  should  pop  his  head  out  of  the  water  till  he  ran 
himself  almost  high  and  dry  on  the  beach,  but  my  pet 
shark  ?  In  his  delight  at  seeing  me  he  almost  got  hold 
of  my  leg,  which,  in  a  fit  of  joyful  forgetfulness,  I  be- 
lieve he  would  have  bitten  off,  had  \  not  jumped  out  of 
the  way. 


328         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

"  Well,  as  I  was  saying,  the  shark  did  not  bite  off  my 
leg;  the  delay,  would,  at  all  events,  have  been  inconve- 
nient had  he  done  so.  I  stroked  his  cheeks,  and  he 
looked  up  most  lovingly  into  my  face  with  his  piercing 
eyes,  and  then,  after  he  had  floundered  back  into  the 
water,  I  got  on  his  back  and  away  we  went  out  to  sea 
toward  my  ship.  My  companions  were  delighted  to  see 
me ;  the  wonder  was  how  they  got  on  without  me. 
When  we  dropped  our  anchor,  King  Rumfiz  and  Queen 
Pillow,  with  my  wife  the  Princess  Chickchick,  came  off 
in  a  canoe  to  the  ship,  and  very  much  surprised  they 
were  to  see  me  on  board,  not  knowing  that  my  pet 
shark  was  in  company.  My  little  wife,  indeed,  thought 
I  was  a  ghost,  and  in  her  fright  jumped  overboard,  when 
she  was  as  near  as  possible  sharing  the  fate  of  poor 
Oilyblubbina,  and  would  have  done  so  had  I  not  leaped 
after  her  and  saved  her.  Not  to  disappoint  my  pet,  we 
gave  him  afterwards  half  a  dozen  fat  hogs,  which  he  in- 
finitely preferred.  The  captain  was  so  generous  with 
his  liquor,  that  he  sent  my  royal  father  and  mother-in- 
law  on  shore  roaring  drunk.  They  were  so  happy  that 
they  insisted  on  having  a  ball  at  the  palace,  for  which 
purpose  I  issued  a  decree  summoning  all  the  principal 
peojjle  of  the  island  ;  and  a  jolly  night  we  had  of  it  too, 
the  old  king  toeing  it  and  heeling  it  away  right  merrily 
in  the  centre  of  a  circle  of  his  admiring  subjects.  Every 
thing  must  have  an  end,  so  had  my  residence  in  the 
island.  As  I  had  begun  to  get  rather  tired  of  the  mo- 
notony of  my  life  on  shore,  I  determined  to  make  a 
voyage  for  the  benefit  of  my  health." 

"  Did  you  take  your  wife  with  you  ?  "  asked  Gogles, 


MAEMADUKE   MERKT,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         329 

who  had  swallowed   every  word  uttered  by  the  boat- 
swain. 

"  My  wife  ?  Oh  no  ;  I  left  her  on  shore  for  the  ben- 
efit of  hers.  Poor  thing,  she  cried  very  much  when  I 
went  away ;  it  was  the  last  time  I  saw  her." 

"  How  was  that,  Mr.  Johnson  ?  "  inquired  Gray,  "  you 
seem  to  have  been  unfortunate  with  your  wives." 

"  Yes,  indeed,  I  was,"  replied  the  unhappy  widower ; 
"  I  have  had  ten  of  them  too.  When  I  came  back, 
I  found  that  the  island  had  been  attacked  by  the  sav- 
ages, who  had  carried  off  my  wife  and  eaten  her.  It's 
a  fact.  If  they  had  had  a  reform,  and  kept  me  and  my 
gun  among  them,  it  wouldn't  have  happened  —  of  that 
I'm  certain.  Having  taken  in  a  supply  of  wood,  water, 
and  provisions,  the  Lady  Stiggins  once  more  made  sail 
for  the  southward." 

"  I  wonder  you  survived  all  your  misfortunes,  Mr. 
Johnson,"  observed  Spellman,  who,  next  to  Gogles  and 
Toby  Bluff,  seemed  to  place  the  most  perfect  belief  in 
the  boatswain's  veracious  nai-ratives,  as  he  was  pleased 
to  designate  his  amusing  inventions. 

"  Why,  do  you  see,  Mr.  Spellman,  I'm  tough  —  very 
tough  !  "  he  answered,  with  a  hoarse  laugh.  "  I  doubt 
if  even  the  head  cook  of  the  monarch  of  the  cannibal 
islands  —  King  Hoki  Poki  —  could  ever  make  me 
tender.  So  you  see  I've  held  out  through  them  all ; 
and  there's  one  thing  I  may  say,  trying  as  they  may 
have  been,  they  have  never  taken  away  my  appetite. 
Now,  young  gentlemen,  you've  had  a  good  long  yarn, 
and  my  throat  feels  like  a  dusthole  with  talking,  so  I 
must  knock  off." 

28  *     » 


830         MAKMADUKE    MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

"  But  you'll  tell  us  the  end  of  your  adventures  some 
day,  Mr.  Johnson ;  won't  you  now  ? "  said  Gogles,  im- 
ploringly. 

"  I'll  continue  them,  perhaps,  young  gentleman,"  an- 
swered the  boatswain,  laughing.  "  But  let  me  tell  you 
it  will  take  a  mighty  long  time  before  I  ever  get  to  the 
end  of  them.  They're  inexhaustible  —  something  like 
the  mint,  young  gentlemen,  where  the  king  has  his 
guineas  struck  which  he  pays  to  us  seamen  for  fighting 
for  him.  We  should  be  in  a  bad  way  if  his  shiners 
were  to  come  to  an  end ;  and  one  thing  I  may  promise 
you,  as  long  as  I've  got  a  brain  to  think  and  a  tongue 
to  wag,  I  shall  be  able  to  continue  my  wonderful  and 
veracious  history." 

Gogles  and  Spellman,  and  even  Gray,  looked  puzzled. 
I  had  long  suspected  that  the  origin  of  Mr.  Johnson's 
history  was  derived  from  a  source  considerably  removed 
from  fact;  and  from  the  peculiar  way  in  which  he 
screwed  up  his  mouth,  and  the  merry  twinkle  of  his 
one  eye  —  for  the  other'  he  shut  with  the  comic  twist 
of  his  nose  —  I  now  had  not  the  slightest  doubt  of  the 
matter.  I  cannot  say  that  his  narratives  were  exactly 
instructive,  but  they  were  at  all  events  highly  amusing 
to  us  youngsters.  The  watch  being  just  then  called, 
an  interruption  was'  put  to  his  narrative.  Toby  Bluff, 
and  some  of  the  other  boys,  who  had  been  listening 
outside,  were  scuttling  along  the  deck,  spluttering  out 
their  laughter,  while  the  young  gentlemen  whose  watch 
it  was  hurried  on  deck,  and  the  rest  retired  to  the  berth. 
We  left  Mr.  Johnson  chuckling  complacently  at  his  own 
conceits. 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         331 

I  went  to  the  berth,  now  magnificently  lighted  by  two 
purser's  dips,  which  stood  on  the  table,  dropping  fatness, 
in  company  with  a  bread-barge  of  biscuit,  some  tum- 
blers, earthenware,  and  tin  mugs,  a  bottle  of  rum  and 
a  can  of  water,  and  sui*rounded  by  most  of  the  members 
of  the  mess  not  on  duty.  Gogles  followed  me,  and  took 
his  seat.  The  can  of  water  and  the  biscuit  was  shoved 
over  to  him.     He  eyed  the  black  bottle  wistfully. 

"  No,  no ;  that  isn't  good  stuff  for  babies,"  said  Peri- 
gal,  shaking  his  head ;  "  if  we  had  some  milk  you 
should  have  it,  Gogles." 

"  I  wish  we  had ;  why  don't  we  keep  some  cows  on 
board?"  whispered  Gogles. 

"  What  would  you  feed  them  on  ?  "  asked  Gray. 

"  Grass  and  hay,  when  we  could  get  them,  of  course," 
answered  Gogles,  sagaciously. 

"  Not  at  all,"  remarked  Bobus.  "  Carpenters'  shav- 
ings are  the  things.  On  board  a  ship  to  which  I 
belonged,  we  had  two  goats  and  a  cow  to  feed  our  cap- 
tain's baby,  and  whenever  we  ran  short  of  hay  or  grass, 
what  do  you  think  the  captain  did?  Cut  their  throats, 
and  eat  them?  No,  not  he.  Why,  he  was  a  very 
ingenious  man,  and  so  he  had  some  pairs  of  green 
spectacles  made,  which  he  used  to  clap  over  their  eyes, 
and  then  when  the  shavings  were  chopped  up  fine,  they 
used  to  eat  them  greedily,  believing  they  were  grass. 
He  first  gave  them  all  the  old  straw  hats  he  could  col- 
lect, but  that  was  an  expensive  way  of  feeding  them." 

"  I  should  think  so,  Bobus,"  observed  M'AUister, 
who  did  not  like  joking  himself,  and  had  an  especial 
antipathy  to  Bobus's  jokes  or  stories,  or  to  Bobus  him- 
self    "  May  I  ask  what  ship  that  was  in?" 


332         MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

"  What  ship  ?  why,  the  old  Thunderer,  to  the  best  of 
my  recollection,"  answered  Bobus,  seriously. 

"  Every  thing  wonderful  happened  on  board  the  old 
Thunderer,"  observed  M'Allister.  "  Bobus  having 
been  left  drunk  on  shore,  is  the  only  survivor  of  her 
crew,  and  there  is  no  one  to  contradict  him." 

"  I  wasn't  drunk ;  I  was  sick,  and  you  know  that 
perfectly  well,"  exclaimed  Bobus,  getting  angry.  "  I 
won't  have  my  veracity  called  in  question.  I've  the 
feelings  of  a  gentleman,  and  my  honor  to  support,  as 
well  as  others." 

"  But  you  shouldn't  support  it  by  telling  crammers," 
said  M'Allister,  who  took  a  pleasure  in  irritating  poor 
Bobus. 

"  Order ! "  cried  Perigal,  who  was  always  a  peace- 
maker. "  Come,  Mac,  let  Bobus  spin  his  yarns,  and  do 
you  spin  yours  ;  and  now  just  go  on  with  that  story 
about  the  Highlands  which  you  had  begun  the  other 
evening,  when  the  squall  struck  the  ship," 

M'Allister  was  soon  in  the  midst  of  some  wouderful 
Highland  legend,  while  attempting  to  listen  to  which  I 
fell  fast  asleep. 

We  were  once  more  at  anchor  in  Port  Royal  harbor. 
Several  otlier  ships  of  war  were  there.  On  one  occa- 
sion I  had  the  honor  of  dining  with  Captain  Collyer, 
when  two  or  three  captains  and  several  lieutenants  and 
midshipmen  were  present.  Among  the  captains  was 
rather  a  fine-looking  man,  a  Captain  Staghorn,  com- 
manding the  Daring  firigate.  He  was  an  Irishman,  and 
though  I  thought  our  boatswain  could  beat  any  man  at 
pulling    the    long-bow,  I    must  say   Captain    Staghorn 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         333 

equalled  him.  He  poured  forth  the  most  astounding 
stories  with  wonderful  rapidity  and  self-assurance.  I 
observed  that  all  the  other  officers  bowed  politely  at  the 
end  of  each,  no  one  questioning  any  of  his  statements. 
Even  Captain  Collyer  let  him  run  on  without  differing 
from  him  in  the  slightest  degree.  I  took  a  dislike  to 
liim  from  the  first  from  his  ovei'bearing  manner  at  times. 
Still  he  was  certainly  amusing,  and  eveiybody  present 
laughed  very  much  at  his  jokes.  He  talked  incessantly, 
and  did  not  scruple  to  interrupt  anybody  speaking. 
Among  his  stories  was  an  account  he  gave  of  his  own 
prowess,  when  a  lieutenant  in  command  of  a  schooner. 
He  was  sent  in  search  of  a  piratical  craft.  He  came 
up  with  her,  and  running  alongside,  sprang  on  board, 
expecting  his  men  to  follow.  The  vessels,  he  declared, 
separated,  but  he  laid  about  him  with  such  good  will 
that  he  not  only  kept  the  pirates  at  bay,  but  drove  them 
below  before  his  own  schooner  again  got  alongside.  Cap- 
tain Collyer,  politely  bowing,  observed  that  he  had  often 
heard  of  his  having  taken  a  piratical  craft  in  a  very 
gallant  w^ay,  which,  in  fact,  he  had,  but  not,  as  he  assert- 
ed, alone  ;  he  had  a  dozen  stout  hands  to  back  hira, 
which  makes  all  the  difference.  The  name  of  a  cousin 
of  mine,  Captain  Ceaton,  was  mentioned.  I  had  just 
before  received  the  news  from  home  that  he  had  been  ap- 
pointed to  the  command  of  a  corvette  which  would  very 
probably  be  sent  out  to  the  West  Indies.  He  was  only 
a  lieutenant  when  I  came  to  sea,  and  had  not  long  been 
a  commander.  I  had  seen  but  little  of  him,  but  I  knew 
him  to  be  a  thoroughly  brave  honest  fellow.  "What, 
therefore,    was   my    surprise    and    annoyance    to    hear 


334        MAEMABtTKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

Captain  Staghorn  open  out  roundly  on  him,  and  abuse 
him  in  no  measured  terms.  One  of  the  other  captains 
asked  why  he  did  so. 

"  Why  ?  "  exclaimed  Captain  Staghorn,  "  five  years 
ago  or  more  he  was  a  lieutenant  of  a  ship  I  commanded. 
On  his  being  superseded,  at  length,  the  lieutenant  wlio 
succeeded  him  asked  him  what  sort  of  a  person  I  was, 
and  he  had  the  impudence  to  say  that  I  was  a  very  good 
sort  of  fellow,  but  used  the  long-bow  pretty  frequently. 
I  won't  say  how  this  came  to  my  ears,  but  I  made  a  vow, 
and  I'll  keep  it,  that  I'll  force  him  to  go  out  with  me, 
and  I'll  shoot  him." 

The  other  captains  tried  to  convince  Captain  Staghorn 
that  Ceaton  could  not  have  intended  to  offend  him,  as  hen^ 
was  a  man  who  would  never  offend  any  one.  Captain 
Staghorn  muttered  within  his  teeth,  "  I  will,  though." 
I  was  veiy  much  induced  to  say,  "  But  you  do  draw 
with  the  long-bow,  and  Ceaton  only  spoke  the  truth."  I 
restrained  myself,  however,  wisely  ;  for  though  the  other 
captains  might  be  convinced  that  I  only  said  what  was 
the  case,  they  would  very  much  disapprove  of  a  mid- 
shipman expressing  himself  freely  about  a  post-captain. 
Coffee  was  soon  handed  round,  and  we  midshipmen, 
according  to  wont,  retired.  We  repaired  to  the  quarter- 
deck, where  the  master,  as  he  occasionally  did  in  harbor, 
had  taken  charge  of  the  watch,  the  rest  of  the  lieuten- 
ants not  dining  in  the  cabin  being  on  shore.  He  was  a 
very  worthy  man,  but  we  had  no  great  respect  for  him, 
and  we  took  liberties  on  which  we  should  not  have 
ventured  with  Mr.  Bryan  or  the  third  lieutenant,  or 
even  with  Mr.  Fitzgerald.     For  some  time  the  influ- 


MARMADTJKE   MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         335 

ence  of  the  cabin  was  on  us,  and  we  behaved  with 
sufficient  dignity.  One  of  the  midshipmen  of  the  Daring 
walked  the  deck  with  me,  and  opened  out  confidentially 
with  regard  to  his  captain,  whom,  however,  he  held  in 
great  awe.  He  told  me  that  he  was  very  brave,  and 
had  done  all  sorts  of  wonderful  things  ;  that  he  did  not 
seem  to  set  value  on  his  own  life  or  on  that  of  any  one 
else  ;  that  he  was  very  quarrelsome,  and  a  dead  shot ; 
that  he  had  killed  three  men  in  duels,  and  wounded 
half  a  dozen  more  ;  and  that  he  never  forgot  or  forgave 
what  he  considered  an  insult  or  an  injury.  My  friend 
continued,  "  When  we  dine  with  him,  he  tells  us  the 
most  extraordinary  stories,  and  if  we  do  not  laugh  at 
the  right  place  and  pretend  to  believe  them,  we  are  sure 
to  get  mastheaded,  or  punished  in  some  other  way,  be- 
fore many  hours  are  over." 

"  A  very  unpleasant  character,"  I  observed,  though 
its  hideousness  did  not  strike  me  so  forcibly  in  those 
days  as  it  does  now.  "  I  shouldn't  like  to  serve  with 
him." 

"  Nor  did  T  at  first,"  said  my  friend,  "  but  I  have  got 
accustomed  to  his  style ;  and  some  of  our  fellows  have 
taken  a  leaf  out  of  his .  book,  and  boast  and  quarrel  as 
much  as  he  does." 

I  thought  to  myself  of  the  old  saying,  "  Like  master, 
like  men,"  and  adapted  it,  "  Like  captain,  like  midship- 
men." 

"  I  would  rather  serve  under  Captain  Collyer,"  I  re- 
marked. "  He  does  not  quarrel  with  or  shoot  his  com- 
panions, and  I  do  not  believe  that  there  is  a  braver  man 
in  the  service." 


336         MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

Our  conversation  was  interrupted  by  a  chase  after 
poor  Gogles,  wiiom  Spellman  and  others  had  started  up 
the  mizzen  rigging,  giving  him  a  minute's  start.  If  they 
caught  him  he  was  to  receive  a  cobbing ;  if  he  escaped 
he  was  to  give  them  one,  if  he  could.  Poor  Gogles  had 
certainly  made  but  a  bad  bargain.  All  the  rest  of  the 
youngsters,  including  the  Daring's  midshipman  and  I, 
soon  joined  in  the  chase  —  not  all,  however,  to  catch 
Gogles,  but  rather  to  impede  his  pursuers,  and  to  give 
him  a  better  chance  of  escape.  Although  he  had  not 
an  over-allowance  of  wits,  he  was  very  active,  and  had 
great  tenacity  of  gripe  —  qualities  more  valuable  to  sky- 
larking midshipmen,  rope-dancers,  and  monkeys,  than 
brains. 

Up  went  Gogles  very  valiantly  to  the  topgallant  mast- 
head, and,  waiting  till  Spellman  had  got  close  up  to  him, 
under  pretence  of  being  tired,  he  slid  down  the  lift  on  to 
the  yard-arm,  and  running  in  on  the  yard,  had  descend- 
ed to  the  cx'oss-trees,  leaving  all  his  pursuers  above  him. 
In  similar  ways  he  contrived  to  evade  his  pursuers,  I 
and  others  helping  him  by  pulling  at  their  legs,  or  getting 
above  them  and  stopping  their  way  up.  He  had,  I  con- 
sidered, fairly  won  the  right  to  cob  all  the  party ;  but, 
grown  bold  by  his  success,  he  descended  by  the  lift  to 
the  topsail  yard-arm,  and  was  about  to  stoop  down  to 
traverse  the  brace  to  the  mainmast,  when,  from  hearing 
Spellman's  shout,  he  looked  up,  and,  missing  his  grasp, 
over  he  went  headlong  into  the  water. 

I  was  at  the  time  on  the  cross-jack  yard.  I  ran  to 
the  end.  Though  Gogles  could  swim,  he  was,  I  at  once 
saw,  stunned  by  the  fall.     I  did  not  stop  to  consider 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  337 

whether  there  was  danger  or  not,  but,  slipping  off  my 
jacket,  which  I  threw  in  board,  and  kicking  off  my 
shoes,  I  plunged  in  after  him,  fortunately  not  losing  my 
breath  in  my  fall.  I  looked  about  for  G ogles.  He  was 
just  sinking.  I  swam  toward  him,  for  there  was  a  cur- 
rent running  which  had  drifted  him  already  to  some 
distance.  ■  No  sooner  did  I  reach  him,  however,  than 
like  a  squid  he  threw  his  arms  about  me,  and  made  it 
impossible  for  me  to  strike  out.  I  entreated  him  to  free 
me,  but  he  evidently  did  not  understand  what  I  said. 
The  dread  that  we  should  both  be  drowned  came  over 
me.  I  kicked  my  legs  about  as  much  as  I  could,  but  I 
could  not  shout  out  for  fear  of  filling  my  mouth  with 
water.  I  thought  of  sharks  —  indeed  of  all  sorts  of 
horrible  things.  We  appeared  to  be  drifting  further  and 
further  fi'om  the  ship. 

Preparations  were  being  made  to  lower  a  boat,  but  I 
felt  that  before  it  could  reach  me  I  must  sink.  Just 
then  I  caught  sight  of  the  boatswain's  long  nose  over 
the  hammock  nettings,  and  the  next  instant  he  had  slid 
down  a  rope  overboard,  and  was  striking  out  toward 
me. 

"  Shout,  boy !  shout,  my  son  !  and  kick  away  —  kick 
away,"  he  kept  exclaiming,  as  with  sturdy  strokes  he 
clave  the  water,  in  his  progress  making  himself  all  the 
time  as  much  noise  as  possible. 

I  guessed  the  reason  of  his  cries,  for  I  saw  a  black 
fin  in  the  distance.  Had  I  been  alone  when  I  saw  that 
ill-omened  fin,  I  believe  that  I  should  have  quickly 
sunk  ;  but  the  feeling  that  I  had  my  messmate  to  sup- 
port, and  that  the  honest  boatswain  was  coming  to  my 
29 


338  MAR5IADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

help,  kept  me  up.  I  did  as  Mr.  Johnson  directed  me, 
and  kept  kicking  with  all  my  might,  and  .shouting  too, 
whenever  I  could  get  my  moutii  clear  of  the  water. 
Still  I  got  more  down  it  than  was  pleasant.  I  saw 
sometliing  gleaming  in  Mr.  Johnson's  hand.  It  was  a 
long  Spanish  knife. 

Gogles  had  been  quiet  for  some  time,  but  just  then  he 
began  to  struggle,  and  again  clasped  me  round  the  neck. 
I  felt  as  if  I  was  sinking,  and  was  earnestly  wishing 
that  Mr.  .Johnson  was  a  few  yards  nearer,  when  I  saw 
him  suddenly  turn  aside  and  strike  off  to  the  left.  My 
eye  followed  him  with  an  intensity  of  interest  such  as  I 
cannot  describe.  It  cauglit  the  gleam  of  his  knife,  and 
then  what  was  my  horror  to  find  that  he  had  disap- 
peared. It  was  but  for  a  moment.  Directly  afterward 
he  rose  again,  surrounded  by  a  circle  of  crimson,  and  a 
huge  black  body  floated  up  near  him,  lashing  the  water. 
He  darted  forward,  and,  seizing  Gogles,  released  me 
from  his  grasp. 

"  Swim  on,  Mr.  INIerry,  swim  on,"  he  shouted,  shoving 
me  before  him.     "  Here  comes  the  boat." 

The  men  bent  to  their  oars,  and  the  brave  boatswain 
swam  on  with  all  his  might.  With  a  jerk  he  threw 
Gogles  into  the  boat,  and  gave  me  a  shove  up  as  I  was 
climbing  in,  which  very  nearly  sent  me  over  on  the 
other  side  ;  he  then  sprang  after  us  with  surprising 
agility,  turning  as  soon  as  he  had  got  his  feet  out  of  the 
water,  and  striking  with  all  his  might  at  a  huge  creature 
which  followed  close  at  our  heels.  I  saw  the  flash  of 
the  monster's  white  throat. 

"  Habet,"  shouted  our  thiixi  lieutenant,  who  was  —  a 


MARMADTIKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         339 

rare  thing  in  those  days  in  the  navy  —  somewhat  of  a 
scholar.  Mr.  Johnson  had  inflicted  a  mortal  wound  on 
another  shark,  who  was  immediately  surrounded  by  his 
amiable  brethren,  eager  to  devour  him  as  they  had 
missed  us.  It  is  not  difficult  to  conceive  what  would 
have  been  our  fate  had  we  remained  another  minute  in 
the  water,  after  the  boatswain  had  killed  the  first  shark. 

"  You  indeed  did  that  bravely,  Mr.  Johnson,"  said 
Mr.  Haisleden,  as  we  returned  to  the  frigate.  ''  I 
never  saw  any  thing  like  it.  Where  did  you  learn  that 
trick  ?  " 

"  In  the  south  seas,  sir,"  answered  the  boatswain  in  a 
quiet  tone,  very  different  from  his  usual  boastful  manner. 
"  I  was  once  wrecked  on  an  island,  where  I  saw  the 
natives  swim  off  and  attack  sharks  with  their  common 
knives;  and  I  said  to  myself,  what  a  savage  does  an 
Englishman  can  do,  if  he  takes  time  and  practises.  So 
as  I  had  little  chance  of  getting  away  for  many  months, 
or  it  might  be  years,  I  set  to  and  learned  to  swim  like 
the  natives,  and  then  to  fight  the  sharks.  It  was  no 
easy  matter,  and  at  first  it  was  trying  work  to  see  one 
of  the  monsters  making  toward  me  and  the  native  who 
accompanied  me  ;  but,  after  I  had  seen  the  way  in 
which  he  managed,  I  was  no  longer  afraid,  and  soon 
became  as  expert  as  any  of  them.  No  man  knows 
what  he  can  do  till  he  tries.  I've  been  the  means  of 
saving  the  life  of  more  than  one  shipmate  by  thus  know- 
ing how  to  manage  the  brutes." 

''  Why,  you've  ridden  on  a  shark,  Mr.  Johnson,"  said 
Gogles,  opening  his  eyes. 

"  Gammon !  "  answered  the  boatswain,  twisting  his 
nose.     "  I  am  speaking  the  truth  now." 


840         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

By  this  time  we  had  reached  the  side  of  the  frigate. 
Captain  Collyer  was  on  deck.  He  warmly  thanked 
Mr.  Johnson  for  his  gallantry  in  jumping  over  to  save 
us,  and  we  received  the  congratulations  of  our  friends 
at  our  escape,  but  I  found  that  it  was  generally  sup- 
posed I  had  fallen  overboard  as  well  as  Gogles ;  nor 
did  I  feel  inclined  to  explain  matters. 

"  I  should  have  mastheaded  the  youngsters  for  sky- 
larking on  board  the  Daring,"  observed  Captain  Stag- 
horn  to  one  of  our  officers,  as  he  took  a  sharp  and 
hurried  turn  on  the  quarter-deck. 

"  I'm  glad  I  don't  belong  to  your  ship,  my  jewel," 
thought  I,  as  I  overheard  him. 

Gogles  and  I  were  sent  below  to  our  hammocks,  and 
Mr.  Johnson  followed  us  to  put  on  dry  clothes. 

"  I'll  set  all  to  rights,  Mr.  Merry,"  he  observed,  in  a 
kind  tone ;  "  I  saw  how  it  all  happened,  apd  the  brave 
way  in  which  you  jumped  after  the  other  youngster; 
but  I  wouldn't  say  any  thing  before  that  strange  captain. 
I  know  him  well.  He's  a  pest  in  the  service,  and 
always  was.  Had  it  not  been  for  him  I  should  have 
been  on  the  quarter-deck.  However,  I  must  go  and 
shift  myself.  Turn  in  and  take  a  glass  of  grog ;  you'll 
be  all  to  rights  to-morrow  morning." 

Now  the  excitement  was  over,  I  felt  very  weary  and 
uncomfortable,  and  was  not  sorry  to  follow  his  advice. 
As  Mr.  Johnson  had  predicted,  the  next  day  I  was  not 
a  bit  the  worse  for  my  adventure  ;  but  poor  Gogles  took 
several  days  to  recover  from  his  fright,  and  the  quantity 
of  salt  water  he  had  imbibed. 

I  found  that  Captain  Collyer  treated  me  with  even 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         341 

more  than  his  usual  kindness,  nor  was  I  long  in  dis- 
covering that  this  arose  from  the  account  the  boatswain 
took  care  should  be  conveyed  to  him  of  my  conduct.  I 
felt,  however,  that  I  was  far  more  indebted  to  Mr. 
Johnson  than  Gogles  was  to  me.  I  had  jumped  over- 
board from  impulse,  he  with  forethought  and  deliberate 
coolness.  The  circumstance  cemented  our  friendship 
more  closely  than  ever,  and  I  am  certain  that  he  loved 
me  as  a  son.  With  his  rough  exterior,  loud  voice,  and 
bravery,  his  heart  was  as  gentle  as  a  woman's.  I  have 
seen  tears  trickle  down  his  rough  cheeks  at  a  tale  of 
sorrow,  while  with  purse  and  sympathy  he  was  ever 
ready  to  relieve  distress,  and  I  am  convinced  that  he 
never  wronged  man,  woman,  or  child  in  his  life. 

Two  days  after  this,  the  signal  was  made  that  the 
Pearl  corvette  was  in  the  offing.  As  soon  as  she  en- 
tered the  harbor,  I  got  leave  to  pay  my  cousin  Ceaton 
a  visit.  He  was  an  admirer  of  my  sister  Bertha,  if  not 
actually  engaged  to  her,  which  I  thought  he  might  be 
by  this  time,  and  I  was  anxious  to  get  news  from  home, 
as  well  as  to  see  him.  A  kinder,  better  fellow  never 
breathed.  His  manners  were  most  gentlemanly,  and 
gentle,  too,  and,  though  brave  as  a  lion,  he  had  never 
been  known  to  quarrel  with  a  shipmate  or  any  other 
pei'son.  He  received  me  as  a  brother,  and  very  soon 
told  me  that,  on  his  return  to  England,  he  hoped  to  as- 
sume that  character.  He  had  a  great  deal  to  tell  me 
about  home,  and  said  that  I  must  stay  on  board  and 
dine  with  him. 

Our  pleasant  conversation  was  interrupted  by  the 
announcement  of  Major  O'Grady.     The  name  made  me 


842         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

feel  uncomfortable,  for  he  was  one  of  the  soldier  officers 
■who  had  dined  on  board  the  Doris,  and  appeared  to  be 
on  \ery  intimate  terms  with  Captain  Stagliorn.  He 
was  just  that  stiff,  punctilious-mannered,  gray-eyed  per- 
son, for  whom  I  have  had  always  a  peculiar  antipathy. 
He  hummed  and  hawed,  and  looked  sternly  at  me,  as 
if  he  could  have  eaten  me  up,  and  thouglit  my  presence 
especially  impertinent;  but  budge  for  him  1  would  not, 
till  desired  by  my  cousin  to  do  so.  At  last  he  had  to 
say,  "  I  beg  your  pardon.  Commander  Ceaton,  but  the 
business  I  have  come  on  cannot  be  discussed  in  the 
presence  of  a  youngster." 

"  Go  on  deck,  Marmaduke,"  said  my  cousin. 

Unwillingly  I  obeyed.  My  worst  apprehensions 
were  confirmed.  Captain  Staghorn  was  resolved  to 
carry  out  his  diabolical  intentions.  What  could  be  done? 
I  felt  certain  that  Charles  Ceaton  had  never  fired  a  pis- 
tol except  in  open  warfare,  and  as  to  practising  for  the 
sake  of  being  the  better  able  to  kill  a  fellow-creature,  I 
knew  that  was  abhorrent  to  his  nature. 

I  hurried  on  deck  as  ordered,  but  as  the  skylight  was 
off,  and  Major  O'Grady  spoke  in  a  loud,  and  it  seemed 
a  bullying  voice,  I  could  hear  nearly  every  word  he 
said,  nor  did  I  consider  myself  wrong  in  drawing  near 
to  listen. 

"  I  am  not  at  all  aware  of  ever  having  made  use  of 
the  words  imputed  to  me,"  said  my  cousin,  calmly. 

"That  is  as  much  as  to  say.  Commander  Ceaton,  that 
you  consiik'r  my  friend  capable  of  uttering  a  falsehood," 
answered  the  Major,  in  a  deliberate  tone. 

"  Not  at  all,  sir.     I  am  simply  stating  the  fact,  that  I 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  343 

cannot  clearly  recall  having  uttered  the  expressions  you 
mention,"  said  my  cousin. 

"Then  you  do  not  deny  that  you  said  something  of 
the  sort ;  indeed  something  to  afford  my  friend  Captain 
Staghorn  sufficient  ground  for  demanding  an  ample  and 
perfect  apology  ?"  said  the  Major,  in  his  former  slow 
Avay. 

"  I  shall  deny  nothing,"  said  my  cousin,  at  length 
nettled  beyond  endurance.  He  must  be,  too,  I  was  cer- 
tain, well  aware  of  Captain  Staghorn's  reputation  as  a 
dead  shot,  and  on  that  account  resolved  to  go  out  and 
fight  him.  In  those  days,  for  an  officer  of  the  army  or 
navy  to  refuse  to  fight  a  duel,  however  thrust  on  iiim, 
was  to  be  disgraced  in  the  eyes  of  his  professional 
brethren,  poor  weak  mortals  like  themselves.  They 
forgot  that  tlie  code  of  honor  by  which  they  chose  to 
act,  was  not  the  code  by  which  they  were  to  be  tried  ia 
another  world. 

"  Then,  Commander  Ceaton,  you  cannot,  of  course, 
refuse  to  give  Captain  Staghorn  the  satisfaction  he  de- 
mands?" said  the  Major. 

"  Certainly  not,"  answered  my  cousin. 

"  You,  of  course,  have  a  friend  with  whom  I  may  set- 
tle preliminaries,"  said  the  Major.  "  The  sooner  these 
affairs  are  got  over  the  better." 

"  Undoubtedly,"  said  my  cousin,  with  unusual  bitterness 
in  his  tone.  "  My  first  lieutenant  will  act  for  me.  lie 
is  a  man  of  honor  and  a  friend.  I  have  perfect  con- 
fidence in  him.     I  will  send  him  to  you." 

I  moved  away  from  the  skylight.  My  cousin  catoe 
on  deck,  where  he  was  joined  by  Mr.  Sandfoi-d,  who, 


344         JIARMADUKE   "MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

after  a  minute's  conversation,  went  into  the  cabin.  He 
and  the  major  very  quickly  came  on  deck,  the  latter 
bowing  stiffly  as  he  descended  to  his  boat  alongside.  I 
felt  very  much  inclined  to  walk  up  to  him,  and  to  say, 
"  If  your  friend  shoots  ray  cousin,  and  brother  that  is 
to  be,  I'll  shoot  you ; "  but  I  did  not.  I,  however, 
watched  with  no  friendly  eyes  the  soldier  officer,  as  he 
sat  in  his  boat  stiff  as  a  ramrod,  while  he  returned  to 
the  Daring.  I  pondered  how  I  could  pre\  ent  this  duel. 
I  felt  that  it  was  not  fair  that  one  man  who  had  never 
held  a  duelling-pistol  in  his  hand,  should  be  compelled 
to  fight  another  who  could  snuff  a  candle  at  twelve 
paces  without  putting  it  out.  I  wanted  to  find  out  when 
and  where  they  were  to  meet. 

My  cousin  returned  to  the  cabin  with  Mr..  Sandford. 
The  latter  remained  with  him  for  some  time,  and  when 
he  returned  on  deck  he  looked  very  grave  and  sad. 
Never  more  clearly  were  the  evils  of  duelling  brought 
home  to  me.  Here  was  a  man  in  the  prime  of  life,  who 
might  long  be  useful  to  his  country  and  mankind,  about 
to  be  murdered,  simply  because  he  would  not  apologize 
for  expressions  which  he  could  not  recollect  having  ut- 
tered. M}'  poor  sister  Bertha,  too  —  how  miserable  his 
untimel}'  death  would  make  her. 

I  walked  the  deck  feeling  more  unhappy  than  I  had 
ever  before  done.  The  midshipmen  of  the  corvette 
kept  aloof  from  me,  fancying  that  my  cousin  had  com- 
municated some  ill  news,  or  perhaps  that  I  was  in  dis- 
grace. I  don't  know.  I  was  glad  that  no  one  came 
arid  spoke  to  me.  The  dinner  hour  at  last  arrived,  and 
I  went  into  the  cabin.     Of  course  I  was  supposed  not 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE  'MIDSHIPMAN.         345 

to  know  any  thing  about  the  contemplated  duel,  and  I 
tried  to  appear  as  cheerful  as  before.  Besides  Mr. 
Sandford,  the  purser  dined  in  the  cabin,  and  no  allusion 
even  was  made  to  the  major's  visit.  My  cousin  endeav- 
ored to  keep  up  the  conversation,  and  smiled  at  the  pur- 
ser's bad  puns,  which  he  had  probably  heard  a  hundred 
times  before.  I  talked  whenever  I  could  about  home  — 
the  dear  old  hall  —  my  sisters  and  brothers,  and  my 
father  and  mother.  I  observed  that  a  shade  of 
pain  passed  over  his  countenance  whenever  I  men- 
tioned my  sisters.  I  was  unwise  in  doing  so,  unless 
it  could  have  had  the  effect  of  shaking  his  reso- 
lution, and  inducing  him  to  send  to  Captain  Stag- 
horn,  and  to  tell  him  that  men  of  the  world  might  say 
what  they  chose,  but  that  he  would  not  go  forth  to 
break  the  law  of  God,  to  take  his  life  or  to  lose  his 
own.  But  why  do  I  say  that?  I  now  know  that  noth- 
ing but  the  love  of  God,  and  of  God's  law  implanted  in 
his  heart,  would  have  induced  him  thus  to  act.  Ab- 
stractedly he  knew  that  he  was  about  to  do  a  wrong 
thing,  but  had  he  been  really  making  God's  law  the  rule 
of  his  life,  he  would  not  have  hesitated  one  moment,  but 
the  moment  Major  O'Grady  had  opened  the  subject,  he 
would  have  told  him  plainly  that  he  feared  God  more 
than  man :  that  if  he  had  wronged  Captain  Staghorn, 
even  though  unintentionally,  he  would  make  him  all  the 
amends  in  his  power,  but  that  fight  he  would  not.  His 
conduct,  however,  very  clearly  showed  —  that  brave, 
and  honest,  and  generous,  and  kind-hearted  as  he  was, 
a  man  to  be  esteemed  and  loved  —  that  he  feared  man, 
and  what  man  might  say,  more  than  God,  and  how  Grod 


346         MARMADUKE    MERRT,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

would  judge.  Numbers  act  thus  ;  but  numbers  perish 
of  a  plague.     That  there  are  many,  does  not  save  them. 

It  must  be  understood  that  I  did  not  think  thus  at  the 
time.  I  was  only  a  little  less  careless  and  thoughtless 
than  those  around  me.  I  was  very  sorry,  though,  that 
my  cousin  was  going  out  to  fight  with  a  man  who  was  a 
dead  shot,  because  I  was  afraid  he  would  be  killed,  and 
that  my  sister  Bertha,  whom  I  loved  dearly,  v>ould  be 
made  miserable.  It  did  not  occur  to  me,  as  I  looked  at 
his  open  and  intelligent  countenance,  his  broad  chest 
and  manly  form,  how  sad  it  was  that,  by  that  time  the 
next  day,  he  might  be  laid  in  the  cold  grave. 

Dinner  progressed  slowly.  Under  other  circumstances 
he  would  have  thought  me  especially  stupid,  for  there 
was  a  feeling  in  my  throat  and  a  weight  at  ruy  heart 
which  effectually  stopped  me  from  being  lively.  After 
coffee  had  been  taken,  I  mechanically  rose  with  the 
rest,  and  went  on  deck.  I  had  not  been  there  long, 
before  it  occurred  to  me  that  I  ought  to  have  wished 
him  good-by,  as  a  boat  was  alongside  to  carry  some 
liberty-men  on  board  the  Doris.  I  desired  the  sentry  to 
a?k  if  I  might  see  him,  and  was  immediately  admitted. 

"I  am  glad  that  you  are  come,  Marmaduke,"  he 
observed.  "  We  cannot  tell  what  may  happen  to  us  in 
this  climate.  Yellow  Jack  maj  lay  his  fist  on  us,  or  a 
hurricane  may  send  our  craft  to  the  bottom  ;  so,  you  see, 
I  have  thought  it  better  to  do  up  a  little  packet,  which, 
in  case  of  any  thing  happening  to  me,  I  wish  you  would 
give  to  Bertha  from  me.  I  don't  wish  to  die,  but  in 
case  I  should,  tell  her  that  my  last  thoughts  were  about 
her,  and  my  prayers  for  her  welfare.    Oh  !  Marmaduke, 


MARHADUKE    MERRY,    THE    3IIDSHIPMAX.  347 

she  is  one  in  a  thousand.  Cherish  her  as  the  apple  of 
your  eye.     You  do  not  know  her  excellences.'' 

He  went  on  very  justly  praising  Bertha  for  some 
time,  till  there  was  a  tremulousness  came  into  his  voice 
which  compelled  him  to  stop,  and  I  very  nearly  blub- 
bered outi'ight.  At  last  he  told  me  to  return  to  the 
Doris,  and  come  and  dine  with  him  the  next  day. 

"  That  is  to  say,"  lie  added,  "  if  Yellow  Jack  has  not 
got  a  gripe  of  me  in  the  mean  time." 

With  a  heavy  heart  I  went  back  to  the  frigate.  I 
took  two  or  three  turns  on  deck,  considering  if  I  could 
do  any  thing,  when  it  occurred  to  me  that  I  would  con- 
fide the  matter  to  Mi*.  Johnson,  and  get  his  advice,  and, 
it  might  be,  assistance.  I  found  him  as  usual,  when  the 
duties  of  the  day  were  over,  seated  in  his  cabin,  reading 
a  book  by  the  light  of  a  ship's  lantern.  He  put  down 
his  book  when  1  entered,  and  seeing  by  my  countenance 
that  something  was  wrong,  said,  — 

"  What  is  the  matter  now,  Mr.  Merry  ?  I'll  do  what 
I  can,  depend  on  that." 

I  told  him  all  I  knew,  and  asked  him  if  there  was  any 
way  of  preventing  my  cousin  being  shot.  He  looked 
grave  and  thoughtful. 

"  And  these  men  pretend  to  have  sense  in  their 
heads !  "  he  muttered.  "  Sense  !  they  haven't  ten  grains 
of  it.  Haven't  they  a  chance,  every  day  of  their  lives, 
of  having  their  brains  knocked  out  all  in  the  Avay  of 
duty,  and  they  must  needs  try  and  kill  each  other  very 
contrary  to  the  way  of  duty.  I  never  really  wished  to 
be  a  Lord  of  the  Admiralty,  but  if  I  was,  and  had  my 
way,  I  would  break  every  officer  who  called  out  another, 
or  accepted  a  challenge,  or  acted  as  second." 


348  AIARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN'. 

"  Then  you'd  have  those  hung  who  killed  their  men  ?  " 
I  exclaimed,  entering  into  his  views. 

"No,  I  would  not.  I  would  leave  them  to  the  just 
punishment  their  own  consciences  would  inflict  ere 
long,"  he  answered  gravely.  "  But  I  would  not  allow 
men  like  Captain  Staghorn  to  retain  His  Majesty's  com- 
mission, and  to  ride  roughshod  over  his  brother  officers, 
just  because  he  fears  God's  wrath  less  than  they  do.  But 
you  ask  me  how  this  duel  is  to  be  prevented  ?  If  you 
were  to  let  the  admiral  himself  know,  he  would  not 
interfere.  The  only  way  I  can  think  of,  would  be  to 
shoot  Captain  Staghorn  first,  and  that  wouldn't  be  quite 
the  thing.  Even  if  we  could  give  him  a  settler,  we  must 
never  do  evil  that  good  may  come  of  it ;  I  know  that. 
The  fact  is,  I  am  at  fault,  Mr.  Merry.  If  either  of  them 
were  living  on  shore,  something  might  be  done  ;  but  it's 
no  easy  matter,  and  that  you'll  allow,  to  get  hold  of  two 
captains  of  men-of-war  living  on  board  their  own  ships." 

I  agreed  with  hiin  with  a  heavy  heart.  We  twisted 
and  turned  the  matter  over  in  every  way,  but  did  not 
succeed  in  seeing  daylight  through  it.  Perhaps  if  we 
had  known  how  and  where  to  seek  for  assistance,  we 
might  have  found  it.  It  was  my  first  watch.  After 
our  supper  of  biscuits  and  rum  and  water,  I  went  on 
deck,  and  when  my  watch  was  over,  turned  into  my 
hammock  with  cruel  apprehensions  as  to  the  news  I 
should  hear  in  the  morning. 

I  was  somewhat  surprised  to  find  myself  sent  for,  as 
soon  as  I  was  dressed,  into  the  captain's  cabin.  I  felt 
anxious,  for  I  thought  that  it  must  be  something  about  my 
cousin.     The  captain,  however,  wanted  simply  to  tell 


MAKMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         349 

me  to  take  a  note  on  board  the  Daring,  and  to  return 
with  an  answer. 

It  was  a  lovely  morning ;  the  water  was  as  smooth  as 
glass,  the  sky  pure  and  bright,  and  the  distant  landscape 
which  I  have  before  described,  looking  romantic  and 
lovely  in  the  extreme.  As  I  shoved  off  from  tlie  frigate 
I  saw  a  boat  from  the  Pearl  —  the  captain's  gig,  I 
guessed  —  cross  our  bows  and  pull  toward  the  shore  of 
the  Palisades  some  little  way  up  the  harbor.  I  was 
soon  alongside  the  Daring,  and  as  I  crossed  the  quarter- 
deck with  the  note  in  my  hand,  I  saw  that  Captain 
Staghorn,  who  was  in  full  uniform,  was  about  to  go  on 
shore.  The  officers  on  duty  were  ranged  on  either  side 
of  the  gangway  in  the  usual  manner.  Major  O'Grady, 
stiff  and  sour,  was  by  his  side.  There  wa>s  a  terrible 
savage  look,  1  thought,  in  Captain  Staghorn's  gray  evil 
eye.  I  stepped  across  the  deck  to  deliver  my  note. 
Before  I  gave  it,  I  heard  him  .say,  as  he  walked  along 
the  deck,  "  I  only  intend  to  wing  the  fellow,  major.  I 
swore  long  ago  I'd  punish  him,  and  I  will  keep  my 
word." 

The  major  made  a  grim  face,  and  muttered,  "  The 
brain  is  the  best  billet." 

I  handed  my  note. 

"  Wait,  youngster,"  he  said,  sharply,  "  I  shall  be  back 
presently,  I'll  send  an  answer  then ; "  and  crumpling  up 
the  note,  he  put  it  in  his  pocket. 

As  he  was  just  stepping  down  the  gangway  ladder, 

he  turned,  and  said  aloud  to  his  first  lieutenant,  "  Should 

the  admiral  and  captain  so-and-so  arrive  before  I  return, 

give  my  compliments  and  say  that  I  was  compelled  to 

30 


350         MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

go  on  shore,  but  shall  be  back  immediately."  I  found 
that  Captain  Slaghorn  had  invited  a  large  party  to 
breakfast  with  him  on  that  morning,  and  that  their 
arrival  on  board  was  every  minute  expect(^d. 

"Ay,  ay,  sir,"  answered  the  first  lieutenant ;  and  Cap- 
tain Staghorn  and  Major  O'Grady  took  their  seats. 

The  oars  fell  with  a  splash  into  the  water,  and  the  gig 
darted  away  in  the  direction  taken  by  the  Pearl's  boat. 
I  watched  the  two  boats  pulling  up  the  harbor  as  long 
as  they  continued  in  sight.  I  had  never  in  my  life  felt 
so  anxious  and  grieved.  From  what  I  had  been  told  of 
Captain  Staghorn,  and  of  his  wonderful  skill  as  a  shot, 
I  did  not  for  a  moment  doubt  that  my  poor  cousin's  life 
was  completely  in  his  power,  and  from  the  words  uttered 
by  that  evil-visaged  major,  I  had  a  dreadful  apprehen- 
sion that  he  would  exercise  his  skill  to  my  relative's 
destruction.  My  grief  was  not  only  on  his  account,  but 
on  that  of  my  dear  sister  Bertha.  I  thought  of  the 
bitter  sorrow  she  would  suffer  when  she  heard  how  he 
had  died.  Had  he  been  killed  in  action  with  the  enemies 
of  his  country,  she  would  have  mourned  his  loss  long 
and  deeply  ;  for  time,  I  knew,  would  soften  such  sorrow  ; 
but  to  hear  that,  weakly  yielding  to  an  abominable  cus- 
tom, he  had  died  infringing  the  laws  of  God  and  man, 
would  prove  to  a  person  with  a  mind  and  opinions  such 
as  hers,  almost  insupportable.  "  It  will  kill  her,  it  will 
kill  her  ! "  I  kept  exclaiming  to  myself,  and  I  could 
scarcely  help  wringing  my  hands  and  giving  way  to 
tears.  I  have  often  since  thought,  that  if  boys  and  men 
did  but  reflect  more  than  they  are  apt  to  do  of  the  sor- 
row and  suffering  which  their  acts  may  cause  to  those 


MARMADUKE   MERllT,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         351 

they  leave  at  home,  whom  they  love  dearly,  and  on 
whom  they  would  be  really  unwilling  to  inflict  the 
slightest  pain,  they  would  often  pause  before  they 
plunged  into  sin  and  folly.  I  fancied  that  no  one  would 
know  what  the  two  captains  had  gone  about,  and  was 
walking  the  deck  in  solitude  meditating,  as  I  have  said, 
on  the  cruel  event  about  to  occur,  when  I  was  accosted 
by  the  midshipman  who  had  paid  the  Doris  a  visit  a  few 
days  before,  and  invited  down  to  breakfast. 


352         MARMADUKE   MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

I  WAS  ushered  with  due  form  into  the  midshipman's 
berth  of  the  Daring.  A  large  party  were  assembled, 
discussing  an  ample  supply  of  food  prepared  for  break- 
fast.    They  seemed  a  very  free   and   easy  set,  and  it 

■vas  no  fault  of  theirs  if  I  did  not  find  myself  at  home  ; 

•ut  I  was  far  too  anxious  to  do  justice  to  the  good  things 
placed  before  me,  nor  could  I  keep  my  mind  from 
dwelling  on  the  sad  work  I  believed  then  going  forward. 
I  soon  found  that  the  object  of  the  captain's  visit  to  the 
shore  was  no  secret.  He  had  been  boasting  the  evening 
before  of  what  he  had  done  in  the  duelling  way,  and 
congratulating  himself  on  at  length  being  able  to  reap 
the  revenge  lie  had  so  long  sought,  swearing  at  the 
time  that  he  would  shoot  Captain  Ceaton  through  the 
head,  as  he  would  any  man  who  dared  to  impugn  his 
veracity.  Was,  then,  his  remark,  that  he  would  only 
wing  him,  the  result  of  some  momentary  compunction 
of  conscience,  to  be  banished  by  the  counsels  of  that 
Mephistophiles-like  major  ?  I  feared  so.  The  mid- 
shipmen did  not  know  that  Captain  Ceaton  was  my 
relative,  and  though  some  seemed  to  feel  for  my  anx- 
iety, others  only  laughed,  and  told  me  that  I  might  as 
well  begin  to  pipe  my  eye,  for  by  that  time  my  cousin 
would  have  a  hole  drilled  through  him,  I  might  depend 
on  it.  They  seemed,  indeed,  to  be  proud  of  their 
captain's  performances  in  that  way,  and  anxious  to  imi- 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         353 

tate  him.  Two  or  three  of  them  boasted  of  having 
fought  duels  with  midshipmen  of  other  ships,  though, 
as  they  used  not  over  sharp  cutlasses,  there  had  been 
no  fatal  results.  I  was  very  glad  that  I  did  not  belong 
to  the  ship,  for  a.  moi'e  boastful,  quarrelsome  set  of 
fellows  I  never  fell  among.  The  sort  of  things  Mr. 
Johnson  said  in  joke,  they  uttered  in  grave  earnest,  and 
they  were  excessively  angry  if  they  were  not  believed. 
However,  I  managed  to  keep  my  temper,  and  at  last  to 
eat  some  breakfast,  in  spite  of  my  anxiety  about  my 
cousin.  As  soon  as  I  could,  I  returned  on  deck,  where 
I  was  joined  by  my  former  acquaintance.  He  begged 
that  I  would  not  mind  what  had  been  said. 

"  You  see,"  he  observed,  "  the  captain  sets  the  fashion 
and  the  greater  number  follow  it.  If  we  had  had  a 
different  captain,  these  same  fellows  would  have  had 
very  different  ideas." 

I  have  often  since  then  had  occasion  to  make  the  re- 
mark, that,  as  a  rule,  drinking,  swearing,  profligate  cap- 
tains turn  out  officers  of  the  same  character.  A  brave, 
virtuous,  and  good  commander  cannot  make  all  those 
under  him  like  himself;  but  his  example  will  induce 
imitation  among  some,  and  act  as  a  curb  to  vice  among 
others.  Great,  indeed,  is  the  responsibility  of  a  captain 
of  a  man-of-war  ;  indeed,  of  any  ship  where  there  are 
officers  and  men  looking  up  to  him.  We  had  not  been 
on  deck  long  when  the  admiral  came  off  in  his  barge 
from  the  shore,  and  three  or  four  captains  arrived  in 
their  gigs,  as  well  as  some  military  men  in  shore  boats. 
The  first  lieutenant  made  Captain  Staghorn's  apologies, 
30* 


354         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

saying  that  affairs  of  importance  had  taken  hira  early 
on  shore,  but  that  he  would  be  off  immediately. 

The  admiral  walked  up  and  down  the  deck  rather 
impatiently,  and  looked  annoyed,  as  if  Captain  Staghoru 
was  not  treating  him  with  proper  respect.  He  was  also 
very  hungry,  probably,  and  he  kept  continually  pulling 
out  his  watch  and  replacing  it  hurriedly  in  his  fob. 
The  captains  and  other  officers,  aware,  probably,  of 
Captain  Staghorn's  eccentricities,  were  less  annoyed  ; 
but  even  they  at  times  gave  signs  of  impatience.  At 
length  the  signal  midshipman  announced  that  the  cap- 
tain's gig  was  coming  off  down  the  harbor.  My  heart 
beat  quick.  I  never  felt  so  anxious.  Some  midship- 
men were  in  the  main  chains.  I  joined  them,  eager  to 
ascertain  if  my  cousin's  boat  was  also  coming  down  the 
harbor.  I  borrowed  a  glass.  After  a  time  I  thought 
that  I  could  distinguish  my  cousin's  boat  coming  down. 
Had  he  escaped  ;  or  had  the  duel  been  prevented  ?  I 
made  out  two  officers  seated  in  the  stern,  but  the  boat 
passed  at  a  distance  from  the  Daring,  and  I  was  un- 
certain who  they  were.  I  had  been  so  eagerly  watch- 
ing the  Pearl's  gig,  that  I  had  not  observed  the  Daring's, 
which  now  approached.  A  murmur  ran  through  the 
ship  —  there  was  something  solemn  in  the  sound.  I 
looked  down  with  an  indelinite  feeling  of  dread.  Still, 
I  expected  to  see  Captain  Staghorn  sitting  upright,  .with 
his  disagreeable  companion  by  his  side.  The  major 
■was  there,  but  a  human  form  lay  in  the  stern-sheets, 
witli  a  boat's  flag  thrown  over  the  face,  to  keep  off  the 
buzzing   flies   which   were    clustering   above  it.      The 


MARMADUKE   MERRT,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.  355 

murmur  increased  into  unmistakable  accents  ;  the  cap- 
tain was  dead  —  shot  through  the  heart.  I  hurried  to 
the  gangway,  round  which  the  admiral  and  officers  and 
men  were  assembling.  The  captain  had  returned  at 
the  hour  he  promised  ;  but  how  differently  !  The  Hag 
fell  from  his  face  as  the  corpse  was  being  lifted  on  deck. 
The  eyes  were  open  and  staring  horribly ;  the  teeth 
were  clenched,  and  the  mouth  wore  that  same  bad,  dis- 
agreeable expression  it  had  worn  two  short  hours  before, 
when,  full  of  life  and  strength,  and  confiding  in  the 
firmness  of  his  nerve  and  his  correct  eye,  he  had  stepped 
carelessly  down  the  companion-ladder,  determined  griev- 
ously to  wound  or  to  take  the  life  of  a  fellow-creature. 
The  doctor  went  throngli  the  form  of  examining  him  to 
ascertain  that  he  was  dead.  He  lifted  up  a  hand,  it  fell 
heavily  on  the  deck. 

"  There's  no  doubt  about  it,"  observed  the  major, 
coolly.  "  You  never  saw  a  man  alive  with  a  hole 
drilled  through  him  like  that ; "  and  he  scientifically 
pointed  out  the  course  the  bullet  had  taken. 

The  admiral  and  other  officers  collected  round, 
and  he  continued,  "I  never  saw  any  thing  more  unex- 
pected. He  walked  to  the  ground  with  the  air  of  a  man 
going  to  a  ball,  laughing  and  joking  the  whole  way.  Not 
a  muscle  shook  as  he  took  the  pistol  and  placed  himself 
in  position  directly  I  had  measured  off  the  ground.  I 
must  say  that  commander  Ceaton  behaved  with  courage 
and  as  a  gentleman  ;  but  it  was  evident  that  neither  he 
nor  his  second  had  the  slightest  notion  of  how  to  con- 
duct affairs  of  the  sort.  Commander  Ceaton  placed 
himself  with  his  full 'front  facing  his  antagonist;  and 


356         MARMADUKE    MERRT,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

when  I  remonstrated  with  his  second,  as  he  was  not  thus 
giving  himself  a  fair  chance,  he  said  that  his  captain 
chose  to  stand  in  that  way,  and  that  he  would  not 
change  his  position.  I  then  returned  to  my  principal. 
I  naturally  asked  where  he  intended  to  hit  his  oppo- 
nent. '  In  the  head,'  he  replied  ;  '  his  very  look  annoys 
me.'  I  retired  to  give  the  signal.  "Which  pistol  went 
off  first  I  do  not  know ;  but  instead  of  seeing  comman- 
der Ceaton  drop,  as  I  expected,  I  saw  my  principal  leap 
into  the  air  and  fall  flat  on  his  face  to  the  ground ; 
while  commander  Ceaton  stood  unmoved.  I  never  saw 
a  man  so  cut  up  about  a  thing.  I  should  have  supposed 
that  he  had  killed  a  friend,  instead  of  a  deadly  enemy. 
We  had  positively  to  send  the  doctor  to  him  to  prevent 
his  fainting.  And  poor  Staghorn  here,  he  never  ex- 
pected such  an  ending." 

"  But  never  was  one  more  richly  deserved,"  muttered 
the  admiral,  turning  away  with  a  look  of  thorough  dis- 
gust at  the  major's  cold-blooded  indifference  to  his 
friend's  awful  death. 

However,  the  admiral  and  other  officers  retired  into 
the  cabin  to  discuss  the  breakfast  prepared  for  them, 
though  their  host  was  not  present,  with  what  appetite 
I  cannot  say.  As  I  could  not  now  get  an  answer  to  the 
note  I  had  brought,  I  returned  to  the  Doris  to  report 
what  had  occurred. 

"  He  has  met  his  deserts ;  and  yet  how  awful,"  said 
Captain  CoUyer  half  aloud,  as  I  told  him  of  Captain 
Staghorn's  death. 

All  in  our  berth  were  eager  to  hear  what  I  had  to 
tell  them  about  the  duel,  and  I  could  not  help  observing 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         357 

how  different  the  remarks  of  my  messmates  were  from 
those  which  had  been  uttered  in  the  Daring's  berth. 
Hearty  satisfaction  was  also  expressed  that  my  cousin 
had  escaped.  I  was  eager  to  go  on  board  the  Pearl  to 
congratulate  him  and  to  take  him  back  Bertha's  pack- 
age, as  I  now  knew  why  he  had  given  it  to  me.  I  could 
not,  however,  go  till  the  evening,  when  Mr.  Bryan  gave 
me  leave  to  take  the  dingy.  I  sent  down  my  name, 
and  was  told  to  go  into  the  cabin.  I  found  Captain 
Ceaton  seated  at  a  table,  with  a  book  before  him.  He 
lifted  up  his  head  from  his  hand,  on  which  it  had  been 
resting,  when  I  entered.  I  had  never  seen  so  great  a 
change  in  any  person  in  so  short  a  time.  His  counte- 
nance was  pale  and  haggard,  his  eyes  sunk,  and  his 
whole  look  would  have  made  me  suppose  that  he  had 
undergone  a  year  of  the  most  severe  mental  suffering, 
or  some  painful  illness  of  still  longer  duration.  I  was 
going  to  congratulate  him  on  having  come  off  the  victor, 
but  I  could  not  bring  out  the  words  I  had  intended  to 
use.  I  merely  murmured  out,  "  I  am  so  very  glad  you 
are  alive.  I  have  brought  back  the  package  for  Bertha. 
I  know  now  why  you  gave  it  to  me." 

"  Keep  it  still,  Marmaduke,"  he  ansAvered  gloomily. 
"  I  feel  that  I  shall  soon  be  summoned  hence.  God's 
wrath  rests  on  the  willing  homicide,  and  I  have  sent 
that  man  without  an  evil  deed  repented  of  into  the 
presence  of  his  Maker.  I  was  too  eager  to  fire. 
Almost  before  the  word  was  given  I  had  lifted 
my  hand  to  do  the  accursed  deed.  I  would  far,  far 
rather  have  been  shot  myself.  Let  my  misery  be  a 
warning  to  you.     Never  on  any  account  lift  your  hand 


358        MARMADUKE   MERRT,   THE   SnDSHIPMAN. 

against  the  life  of  a  fellow-creature,  unless  you  are 
fighting  for  your  country  or  attacked  by  assassins.  The 
world  may  gloss  over  the  deed  as  it  will ;  the  conscience 
cannot  gild  a  crime." 

He  said  a  good  deal  more  in  the  same  style.  I  tried 
to  comfort  him  as  well  as  I  could,  and  talked  about  my 
sister  and  the  future. 

"  What,  unite  a  spotless  hand  to  that  of  one  stained 
with  the  blood  of  a  fellow-creature ! "  he  exclaimed. 
"  No,  Marmaduke,  when  she  knows  the  truth,  she  will 
shudder  at  the  thought." 

I  now  saw  that  he  was  altogether  unnerved,  and  I 
hoped  that,  if  his  surgeon  was  a  sensible  man,  he  might 
do  him  more  good  than  I  could  with  any  arguments  at 
my  command.  After  a  time  I  went  on  deck,  and  find- 
ing the  surgeon  walking  by  himself,  I  went  up  to  him 
and  told  him  what  I  thought. 

"  Very  sensible,  youngster.  Some  soothing  draught 
is  what  he  wants.  I'll  get  him  to  take  it,"  he  answered. 
"  Your  relative,  let  me  tell  you,  had  a  narrow  escape. 
Did  he  show  you  where  the  bullet  grazed  his  head  and 
took  off  the  hair  ?  " 

"  No,  indeed.  I  did  not  know  even  that  Captain 
Staghorn  had  fired,"  said  I. 

"  Ay,  but  he  did  though,  and  he  aimed  at  your  cousin's 
brain,"  said  the  surgeon.  "  Mr.  Sandford  tells  me  that, 
as  he  looked  at  his  antagonist's  evil  eye,  he  never  ex- 
pected to  hear  the  captain  speak  again.  He's  unhappy 
now,  and  shocked  ;  very  natural  for  a  man  of  fine  feel- 
ing ;  but  he'll  get  over  it,  don't  be  afraid." 

"  Then  the  wretched  man  took  the  advice  of  his  evil 


MARMADTJKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         359 

counsellor,  and  resolved  to  kill  my  poor  cousin,"  I 
thought  to  myself.  I  was  afraid,  however,  that  the  f;ict 
would  be  no  comfort  to  him,  but  would  rather  aggravate 
his  suffering  when  he  thought  that  the  last  feeling  which 
had  animated  the  bosom  of  the  man  who  had  been  so 
suddenly  sent  to  his  dread  account,  was- that  of  bitter 
animosity  and  revenge.  I  instinctively  felt  this;  and  so, 
when  I  returned  to  the  cabin  before  leaving  the  ship,  I 
refrained  from  touching  on  the  subject.  I  did  not  know 
at  the  time,  nor  did  any  one  else  on  board,  I  am  afraid, 
in  a  position  to  speak  to  him,  where  alone  he  could  seek 
for  comfort  and  consolation  in  his  wretchedness,  for 
wretched  he  was,  and  almost  hopeless. 

However,  I  must  not  longer  dwell  on  the  subject.  I 
returned  to  the  Doris,  but  I  got  leave  on  most  days  to 
visit  my  cousin.  I  did  not  see  any  great  change  in  him 
for  the  better.  An  inquiry  took  place  with  regard  to 
the  duel,  but  the  evidence  in  his  favor  was  so  strong, 
and  Captain  Staghorn's  character  was  so  notorious,  that 
he  was  acquitted  of  all  blame  in  the  matter.  I  was 
truly  glad  to  find  that  we  and  the  Pearl  were  to  sail 
together  and  cruise  in  company  for  some  time,  in  search 
of  some  of  the  enemy's  privateers,  which  had  been  com- 
mitting havock  among  our  merchantmen.  The  day 
before  we  sailed  we  received  a  visit  from  old  Colonel 
Pinchard,  and  we  invited  him  down  to  dinner.  He 
seemed  in  high  feather,  having  got  as  many  pupils  as  he 
could  manage  to  instruct  in  French ;  and,  moreover,  as 
he  told  us,  he  had  hopes  that  he  had  softened  the  heart 
of  a  Creole  lady,  who,  though  somewhat  weighty  her- 
self, was  outweighed  by  the  bags  of  doubloous  of  which 


360         MARMABUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

she  was  the  owner,  not  to  speak  of  a  number  of  male 
and  female  slaves,  who  acknowledged  her  as  their  mis- 
tress. "  Ah,  you  see,  vary  good,  vary  good,"  he  added. 
"  You  see,  moch  obliged  to  you  for  take  me  prisoner.  I 
drink  to  de  sante  of  all  de  young  gentlemans  of  de 
Doris."  The  old  colonel  certainly  contrived  to  make 
himself  very  happy,  and  we  sent  liim  on  shore  singing 
alternately  the  Marseillaise  hymn,  some  Royalist  tunes, 
and  God  save  the  King,  while  he  kept  occasionally 
shouting  out  "  Vive  Napoleon  !  "  "  Vive  I'Angleterre  !  " 
"  Vive  la  France  ! "  exhibiting  in  his  cups  the  real  cos- 
mopolitan feelings  which  inspired  him  —  the  feelings  of 
most  old  soldiers  of  fortune.  They  start  probably  with 
some  vague  notions  of  seeking  honor  and  glory,  but, 
finding  tlie  objects  at  which  they  aim  thoroughly  unsatis- 
fying, they  in  most  cases  become  intensely  selfish,  and 
think  only  how  they  can  make  themselves  most  comfort- 
able under  any  circumstances  in  which  they  are  placed, 
or  how  they  can  secure  the  largest  amount  of  plunder. 
This  was  the  last  time  I  saw  Colonel  Pinchard,  but  I 
heard  that  he  married  the  Creole  widow,  foreswore 
France,  and  settled  in  Jamaica. 

We  were  all  glad  to  get  to  sea  again,  as  we  had  little 
pleasure  from  being  in  harbor ;  for,  though  the  West 
Indies  has  many  charms,  and  at  some  seasons  no  fault 
can  be  found  with  the  climate,  yet  Yellow  Jack  is  an 
unpleasant  customer,  whose  visits  we  were  happy  to 
avoid.  I  have  not  named  any  of  my  messmates  for 
some  time.  Poor  M'Allister  was  the  only  one  much 
changed  ;  the  climate  certainly  affected  him,  but  he  got 
a  great  deal  of  badgering  from  the  officers  of  his  own 


MAUMADUKE   MEERV,   THE    MlDSniPMAN.         361 

standing  in  the  service,  and  especially  from  the  mates 
of  other  ships,  for  having  been  outwitted  by  the  French- 
man, and  for  losing  his  prize.  He  took  this  bantering 
ill  in  public,  and  brooded  over  the  subject  in  private,  till 
he  began  to  believe  that  his  courage  was  doubted,  and 
that  he  must  do  some  very  daring  deed  to  retrieve  it. 
But  I  must  do  old  Perigal  the  credit  to  say  that  he 
never  bantered  him,  though  Spellman  did  whenever  he 
thought  he  could  give  a  sly  hit  with  impunity.  I  did 
what  I  could  to  comfort  him,  and  the  liking  for  me 
which  he  had  always  entertained  evidently  increased. 
I  was  in  his  watch,  and,  as  we  walked  the  deck  together, 
he  would  talk  to  me  by  the  hour  of  Scotland,  and  the 
estate  of  his  ancestors,  which  he  hi)ped  one  day  to  re- 
cover. Suddenly  he  would  break  off,  and  in  A  tone  of 
deep  melancholy,  exclaim,  "  Ah,  but  those  are  dreams 
—  all  dreams  —  never  to  be  realized.  I  am  never  to 
see  bonnie  Scotland  again  ;  her  heathery  hills,  and  blue, 
blue  lochs,  and  my  own  Mary ;  but  I've  never  told  jon 
of  her.  She's  been  the  pole-star  to  me  since  I  came  to 
sea.  She  was  but  a  young  girl  then,  but  when  I  had 
returned  from  my  first  voyage,  she'd  grown  into  the 
fairest  maiden  for  many  a  mile  round,  and  soon  she 
promised  to  be  mine,  when  I  should  get  my  promotion. 
I  won't  talk  more  of  her,  though  ;  but  you'll  undertake, 
Mr.  Merry,  when  you  go  home,  should  I  lose  the  num- 
ber of  my  mess,  to  go  and  find  out  the  poor  girl,  and  tell 
her  all  about  me."  And  so  he  ran  on.  Of  course  I 
promised  to  do  all  he  wished.  Midshipmen  always  do 
promise  each  other  all  sorts  of  things  of  a  similar  nature, 
31 


362         MARMADttKE    MfiRRY,    THE    MIDSfirPMAI^. 

and  intend  to   fulHl  their  promises  faithfully,  though  I 
am  not  prepared  to  assert  that  they  always  do  so. 

By  the  by,  it  is  rather  curious  that  at  least  half  my 
messmates  who  confided  their  attachments  to  me  were 
in  love  with  young  ladies  of  the  name  of  Mary.  Some- 
times, I  suspect,  they  were  myths,  but  they  did  equally 
well  to  talk  about.  To  a  sailor's  ear  there  is  something 
very  attractive  in  the  name;  certainly  I  have  known 
several  most  charming  ]Mar3's,  and  one  especially  —  but 
I  am  not  going  to  make  confessions. 

The  Pearl  sailed  well,  and  kept  easily  in  company 
with  us.  After  getting  clear  of  Jamaica  we  stood  to 
the  eastward,  to  run  down  among  the  French  islands, 
where  we  might  have  a  chance  of  falling  in  with  some 
of  the  privateers  starting  on  their  cruises.  We  bad 
before  long  done  a  good  deal  of  mischief  among  them  ; 
we  captured  three,  sunk  one,  burnt  another,  and  drove 
two  on  shore.  At  last,  one  morning  at  daybreak,  a  large 
schooner  was  reported  in  sight,  standing  to  the  south- 
ward. Both  we  and  the  corvette  made  all  sail  in  chase. 
There  was  no  doubt  that  she  was  an  enemy,  as  she 
spread  all  the  canvas  she  could  set  for  the  purpose  of 
escaping.  The  wind  was  light,  which  was  to  her  advan- 
tage, and  from  the  first  it  seemed  very  doubtful  that  we 
should  overtake  the  chase.  Still,  while  there  was  a 
chance,  Captain  Collyer  was  not  the  man  to  give  it  up. 
The  wind  was  about  abeam.  The  corvette  was  ordered 
to  keep  well  to  windward,  to  prevent  the  schooner 
from  hauling  up,  and  thus  escaping  ;  while  there  was  no 
doubt  that,  should  she  attempt  to  escape  before  the 
wind,  fast  as  she  might  sail  we  should  come  up  with  her. 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         363 

Our  aim  was  to  jam  her  clown  on  the  land,  as  we  had 
done  other  vessels,  when  we  should  drive  her  on  shore 
or  capture  her. 

During  the  morning  I  was  several  times  on  the  fore- 
castle, where  I  found  M'Allister  with  his  glass  eagerly 
fixed  on  the  chase. 

"  I  am  certain  of  it,"  he  exclaimed.  "  As  true  as  I 
am  a  Highland  gentleman,  and  my  name  is  M'Allister, 
that  craft  ahead  of  us  is  the  Audacieuse.  I  know  her 
by  second  sight,  or,  if  you  don't  believe  in  it,  by  the  cut 
of  her  canvas,  even  at  this  distance.  I'm  certain  of  it. 
I  would  give  my  patrimony,  and  more  wealth  than  I  am 
ever  likely  to  possess,  to  come  up  with  her.  I'll  make 
Lieut.  Preville  pay  dearly  for  the  trick  he  played  us." 

Though  I  thought  very  likely'  that  the  schooner  in 
sight  was  our  former  prize,  I  could  not  be  certain. 
Neither  were  the  men  who  had  been  with  us,  nor  were 
the  crew  of  the  Espoir  at  all  certain  as  to  the  vessel  in 
sight.  As  Ned  Bambrick  observed,  "  She  might  be  her, 
or  she  might  not  be  her ;  but  one  French  schooner,  at 
the  distance  of  seven  or  eight  miles,  looked  very  like 
another,  and  that's  all  I  can  say,  do  ye  see,  sir,  for  cer- 
tain. The  only  way  is  to  overhaul  her,  and  then  we 
shall  know." 

Perigal  was  inclined  to  side  with  M'Allister,  from  the 
satisfaction  which  the  so-doing  afforded  him  ;  indeed,  he 
now  appeared  in  far  better  spirits  than  he  had  done  since 
our  mishap. 

At  last  the  breeze  freshened,  and  we  rose  the  land, 
the  coast  of  Cuba,  beyond  the  chase.  Her  chance  of 
escape  was  consequently  much  lessened,  unless  she  could 


364         MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

haul  up  along  shore,  or  there  was  any  harbor  up  which 
she  might  run  for  shelter.  We  were  now  clearly  gain- 
ing on  her,  and  as  we  drew  nearer  M'AUister  became 
more  and  more  certain  that  she  was  the  Audacieuse, 
while  others  also  agreed  with  liim.  I,  of  course,  hoped 
that  he  was  right. 

"  We  will  make  Preville  cook  for  us.  He  shall  be 
employed  in  dressing  ragouts  all  day  long,"  he  exclaimed, 
rubbing  his  hands.  "  But  I  hope  he  won't  yield  without 
fighting.  I  wish  it  would  fall  calm,  and  I  may  be  sent 
in  command  of  the  boats  to  take  him.  That  would  be 
the  most  satisfactory  thing." 

I  agreed  with  him  in  the  latter  point,  but  argued  that 
the  Frenchmen  had  only  treated  us  as  we  should  have 
attempted  to  treat  thein  under  similar  circumstances,  so 
that  we  had  no  reason  to  complain,  while  they  had  also 
behaved  most  liberally  to  us  when  giving  us  a  boat  to 
reach  Jamaica.  My  poor  messmate  was,  however,  far 
too  excited  to  listen  to  reason. 

The  day  wore  on.  Nothing  would  induce  M'AUister 
to  leave  the  deck.  We  sent  him  up  some  cold  meat 
and  biscuit  for  dinner,  but  he  would  scarcely  touch  the 
food,  continually  keeping  his  eye  on  the  chase.  The 
day  was  advancing,  and  we  were  drawing  in  with  the 
land.  It  was  still  uncertain  whether  we  should  catch 
her,  as  she  might  more  easily  escape  us  during  darkness. 
We  were  about  two  miles  from  the  land,  against  the 
dark  outline  of  which  her  sails  appeared  shining 
brightly  in  the  rays  of  the  sun,  just  sinking  into  the 
ocean.  The  wind  was  dropping.  If  the  land  breeze 
came  off,  we  might  not  be  able  to  work  iTp  to  her,  though 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  365 

she  might  anchor,  and  then  M'AUister's  wish  would  be 
gratified. 

I  had  returned  to  the  forecastle,  where  a  good  many 
of  the  officers  were  assembled,  watching  the  chase.  The 
sun  had  sunk  below  the  horizon.  The  gloom  came 
down  with  a  rapidity  unknown  in  northern  latitudes. 
There  was  the  schooner.  Our  eyes  were  on  her.  Sud- 
denly she  disappeared.  M'Allister  stamped  with  his 
foot,  and  I  thought  would  have  dashed  his  glass  on  the 
deck,  when  he  could  no  longer  discover  her.  So  unex- 
pectedly had  the  chase  vanished  that  some  began  to  pro- 
nounce her  the  Flying  Dutchman,  or  a  phantom  craft 
of  that  description.  The  master,  however,  very  soon 
appeared,  and  announced  the  fact  that  inside  of  us  was 
a  strongly  fortified  harbor,  and  that  of  course  the  cause 
of  the  chase  being  no  longer  seen  was  that  she  had  run 
up  it,  and  rapidly  furled  her  sails. 

We  now  hauled  oflP  the  land,  and  hove  to,  and  Cap- 
tain Ceaton  coming  on  board,  it  was  agreed  that  an  at- 
tempt should  be  made  to  cut  out  the  schooner,  and  any 
other  vessels  which  might  be  in  the  harbor.  The  plan 
was  very  simple.  The  marines,  with  a  party  of  sea- 
men, were  to  land  and  attack  the  forts  in  the  rear,  while 
the  ships'  boats,  manned  by  all  the  blue  jackets  who 
could  be  spared,  were  to  take  possession  of  the  vessels 
in  the  harbor,  if  they  could. 

The  hai'bor  was  reported  as  strongly  fortified,  and  it 

was  important,  therefore,  if  possible,  to  take  the  enemy 

by  surprise.     The  captains  consequently  resolved  to  put 

off  the  attack  till  another  night.     This  did  not  suit  poor 

31* 


366  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

M'Allister's  impatience.  He  was  eager  to  commence 
the  undertaking  without  delay. 

The  two  ships  now  stood  off  to  such  a  distance  that 
they  could  not  be  seen  from  the  shore,  and  we  then 
hove  to.  All  those  to  be  employed  were  busily  prepar- 
ing for  the  work  in  hand.  It  was  understood  that  it 
would  be  far  more  severe  than  any  thing  in  which  we 
had  yet  engaged.  Captain  Ceaton  begged  leave  to  lead 
the  expedition,  and,  Mr.  Bryan  being  ill,  Mr.  Fitzgerald 
was  to  be  second  in  command.  The  land  forces  were 
led  by  Lieutenant  Fig  of  the  marines.  Though  his 
name  was  short,  he  was  not ;  and  he  was,  moreover,  a 
very  gallant  fellow.  The  second  lieutenant  of  the  cor- 
vette had  charge  of  the  boats  for  landing  the  soldiers. 
In  such  exploits  it  is  seldom  that  the  senior  captain 
himself  commands ;  indeed,  they  are  generally  confided 
to  the  lieutenants  who  have  their  commissions  to  win. 
M'Allister,  to  his  great  satisfaction,  got  command  of  one 
boat,  with  Gray  as  his  companion;  and  Mr.  Johnson, 
whom  I  accompanied,  took  chai-ge  of  another.  We 
were  to  have  three  boats  from  the  frigate,  and  two  from 
the  corvette,  the  rest  being  employed  in  landing  the 
soldiers.  My  cousin  was  unwell,  and  in  the  evening  his 
surgeon  sent  on  board  to  say  that  he  was  utterly  unfit 
to  accompany  the  proposed  expedition,  the  command  of 
which  was  therefore  claimed  by  Mr.  Fitzgerald. 

."If  it  was  daylight,  his  phiz  would  go  far  to  secure 
us  tlie  victory,"  observed  Perigal,  v.'ho  did  not  hold  our 
eccentric  second  lieutenant  in  high  estimation.  "  Plow- 
ever,  he  can  shriek,  and  that  is  something," 


MARIIADUKE    MERRY,    THE    JIIDSHIPilAN.  367 

As  soon  as  it  was  dark,  we  once  more  stood  toward 
the  land,  but  the  night  wind  came  off,  and  we  worked  up 
at  a  slow  rate,  which  sorely  tried  our  patience.  The 
hours  of  darkness  passed  by ;  still,  we  had  night  enough 
left  to  do  the  work.  The  ships  hove  to,  and  the  boats 
were  piped  away.  My  heart  beat  high.  I  longed  al- 
most as  much  as  M'Allister  to  regain  possession  of  the 
Audacieuse,  should  the  schooner  prove  to  be  her.  There 
was  no  time  to  be  lost,  lest  daylight  might  surprise  us. 
We  shoved  off,  and  away  we  went  right  merrily,  with 
muffled  oars,  the  men  bending  their  backs  to  tliem  with 
a  will. 

There  was  supposed  to  be  a  little  cove  outside  the 
chief  harbor,  and  here  the  soldiers  were  to  land  and 
form.  A  rocket  sent  up  by  our  part  of  the  expedition, 
as  soon  as  we  were  alongside  the  schooner  or  discov- 
ered by  the  enemy,  was  to  be  the  signal  for  the  soldiers 
to  advance  and  storm  the  works.  At  some  little  dis- 
tance from  the  harbor's  mouth  we  parted  from  the  land 
forces,  and  now  still  more  rapidly  we  advanced.  On  a 
hill  overlooking  the  harbor  we  could  distinguish  the 
outline  of  a  formidable-looking  fort,  or  rather  castle ; 
while  close  under  its  guns  lay,  not  only  the  schooner, 
but  rising  up,  with  the  tracery  of  their  spars  and  rig- 
ging pencilled  against  the  sky,  appeared  a  large  three- 
masted  ship,  either  a  heavy  corvette  or  a  frigate,  with 
three  or  four  more  vessels  moored  head  and  stern  of 
her,  while  the  soliooner  lay  more  out,  with  her  guns 
pointing  down  the  harbor  —  so  that,  to  get  at  her,  we 
should  have  to  pass  under  the  fire  of  all  the  rest,  while 


368  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

the  guns  from  the  fort  above  could  plunge  their  fire  right 
down  upon  us. 

The  tide  was  running  strong  out  of  the  harbor,  and 
the  gray  streaks  of  dawn  were  already  appearing  in  the 
east.  These  circumstances  might  be  to  our  advantage, 
if  we  were  once  in  possession  of  the  schooner,  but  were 
at  present  very  much  against  us.  What  other  officers 
might  have  done  in  a  similar  case  I  am  not  prepared  to 
say ;  but  Paddy  Fitzgerald  was  not  the  man  to  turn  his 
back  on  an  enemy  till  he  had  crossed  blades  with  him. 
So  on  we  pulled,  rather  slowly  though,  against  the  cur- 
rent. I  hoped  that  the  enemy  had  not  discovered  us, 
for  it  seemed  as  if  no  watch  even  was  kept  on  board 
the  vessels,  and  that  all  their  crews  were  wrapped  in 
sleep. 

"  Don't  to  be  too  sure  of  that,"  whispered  Mr.  John- 
son. "  They  are  not  like  heavy-sterned  Dutchmen  or 
Russians ;  these  Frenchmen  always  sleep  with  one  eye 
open." 

Whether  he  was  right  or  not  I  do  not  know,  but  just 
as  the  boats,  all  keeping  close  together  in  beautiful 
order,  had  got  abreast  of  the  lowest  vessel,  our  eccentric 
leader,  either  by  accident  or  on  purpose,  for  the  sake  of 
giving  the  enemy  a  better  chance  of  knocking  us  to 
pieces,  sent  up  the  rocket  right  over  their  heads.  The 
first  whiz  must  have  startled  the  sleeping  watch,  and  in 
a  few  seconds  drums  were  heard  beating  to  quarters, 
and  officers  bawling  and  shouting,  and  lights  gleaming 
about  in  all  dii-ections.  The  crew  of  the  schooner,  too, 
gave  evidence  that  they  were  on  the  alert,  for  several 


MARJIADTJKE    MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         369 

shot  came  flying  clown  the  harbor  over  our  heads. 
They  had  not  got  the  range,  but  they  would  soon.  Mr. 
Fitzgerald's  voice  was  heard  shouting, 

"  We've  awoke  them  up.  Erin  go  bragh  !  Hurra, 
lads !  push  on  !  " 

A  deep  voice  was  heard  joining  the  shout,  "  For  the 
schooner !  The  schooner's  our  aim ! "  It  was  that  of 
M'AUister. 

On  shore,  too,  and  in  the  fort,  there  was  a  great  com- 
motion ;  drums  there  also  were  beating,  and  officers 
calling  the  garrison  to  the  ramparts,  while  bright  flashes 
and  the  rattle  of  musketry  showed  that  those  of  the 
land  expedition  was  well  performing  their  part  of  the 
undertaking. 

We  dashed  on  as  fast  as  we  could  urge  the  boats 
against  the  current,  right  under  the  broadsides  of  the 
corvette  and  other  vessels,  which  began  pourin"g  in  on 
us  a  terrific  fire  of  great  guns  and  small  arms,  which 
soon  made  fearful  havoc  among  our  crews.  Still  we 
pulled  on.  Three  men  in  the  boatswain's  boat  had 
been  struck,  one  of  whom  was  killed,  when  a  shower  of 
grape-shot  came  plunging  down  directly  into  her,  killing 
another  man,  and  tearing  right  through  her  sides.  She 
filled  rapidly.  A  cry  arose  from  our  poor  fellows,  as 
they  found  themselves  sinking.  We  were  close  to  an- 
other boat.  Mr.  Johnson,  seizing  one  of  the  wounded 
men,  and  telling  me  to  follow  him,  and  the  coxswain 
grasping  the  other,  we  all  leaped  into  her.  We  found 
she  was  M'Allister's.  Two  men  in  her  were  killed,  and 
poor  Gray  lay  in  the  stern-sheets  badly  hurt.  M'Allis- 
ter  was  all   excitement,  utterly  regardless  of  the  shot 


870         MARMADUICK    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

like  hail  flying  round  him,  and  urging  the  men  to  pull 
toward  the  schooner.  We  had  nearly  reached  her, 
when  Mr.  Fitzgerald,  who  had  hitherto  been  cheering 
on  the  men,  fell  back  wounded,  giving  the  order,  as  he 
did  so,  to  retreat.  It  was  too  evident  that  success  was 
no  longer  possible  ;  one  quarter  of  the  party  were  either 
killed  or  wounded,  and  many  more  must  be  lost  before 
we  could  even  gain  the  deck  of  the  schooner.  M'AUis- 
ter  thought  differently  ;  the  object  for  which  he  had  so 
long  been  wishing-  seemed  within  his  grasp.  He  sprang 
forward,  and  in  the  gray  light  of  morning  I  could  see 
his  figure  as  he  stood  up,  and  waving  his  hand,  shouted, 

"  My  name  is  M'AUister,  of  ancient  lineage,  and  the 
rightful  owner  of  a  bi'oad  estate  in  the  Highlands,  and 
it  shall  never  be  said  that  I  turned  ray  back  to  the  foe. 
On,  lads,  and  the  Audacieuse  will  be  ours  ! " 

Scarcely  had  he  uttered  the  words,  when  a  round 
shot  struck  him  on  the  breast  and  knocked  him  over- 
board, before  any  one  could  grasp  him.  Instantly  Mr. 
Johnson  sprang  up,  and  shouted, 

"  My  name  is  not  M'AUister,  and  I  haven't  an  acre 
of  land  in  Scotland  or  elsewhere,  and  so  give  way,  my 
lads,  with  the  starboard  oars,  and  back  with  the  lar- 
board ones,  and  let  us  get  out  of  this  as  fast  as  we  can, 
or  not  one  of  us  will  have  a  whole  skin  to  cover  his 
bones." 

The  men  obeyed.  I  was  very  glad  they  did,  for  I 
had  had  quite  enough  of  the  work,  and  getting  the  boat 
round,  the  current  soon  carried  us  out  of  the  hottest 
part  of  the  fire.  Still  the  sliot  came  whistling  after  us, 
and  when  I  considered  the  terrific  fire  to  which  we  had 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    JIIDSHIPMAN.  371 

been  so  long  exposed,  I  could  only  feel  thankful  at  find- 
ing myself  and  any  of  my  companions  still  in  the  land 
of  the  living.  As  it  was,  two  of  our  boats  were  knocked 
to  pieces  and  sunk,  and  fully  half  those  who  had  formed 
the  expedition  were  either  killed  or  wounded. 

My  attention  was  now  turned  toward  my  friend  Gray, 
who  lay  in  the  stern-sheets  groaning  with  pain.  I  was 
stooping  forward  to  bind  ray  handkerchief  over  his  arm, 
when  a  round  shot  flew  by,  which  Mr.  Johnson  told  me 
would  have  taken  off  my  head  had  I  been  sitting  up- 
right. For  his  sake,  and  that  of  the  wounded  men,  I 
was  very  anxious  to  return  on  board,  but  I  found  that 
we  had  first  to  go  in  and  cover  the  embarkation  of  the 
soldiers,  in  case  they  had  been  defeated  and  followed,  or 
to  give  them  notice  of  our  failure  should  they  still  be 
persevering  in  the  attack.  On  getting  into  the  little 
harbor,  no  one  was  found  on  the  beach,  and  I  was 
therefore  despatched  to  direct  Lieutenant  Fig  to  retire. 
It  was  an  undertaking  of  no  little  hazard,  for  I  might 
be  made  a  prisoner  by  the  enemy,  or  lose  my  way  and 
be  unable  to  return  to  the  harbor. 

Toby  Bluff,  who  had  ^towed  himself  away  in  one  of 
the  other  boats,  entreated  that  he  might  be  allowed  to 
accompany  me.  I  was  very  glad  to  have  a  companion. 
Two  people  can  often  carry  out  an  object  in  which  one 
may  fail. 

Off  we  set,  having  taken  the  supposed  bearings  of  the 
fort,  as  fast  as  we  could  manage  to  get  along  through 
the  gloom.  The  first  part  of  our  path  was  through 
sand,  with  rocks  sticking  up  here  and  there,  over  which 
we  stumbled  several  times  and  broke  our  shins,  but  we 


372         JIARMADUKE   MERET,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

picked  ourselves  up  as  well  as  we  could,  and  not  having 
time  to  give  them  a  rub  hurried  on.  We  were  soon 
among  maize  fields,  and  then  some  coffee  or  other  plan- 
tations, but  fortunately  there  were  no  tall  trees  near  yet 
further  to  darken  the  road.  The  path  was  somewhat 
rough,  but  I  believed  that  it  was  the  only  one  leading 
to  the  fort.  The  firing  had  entirely  ceased.  I  could 
not,  however,  tell  whether  this  was  a  good  or  a  bad 
sign  ;  whether  our  marines  had  entered  the  fort,  or  had 
been  driven  back.  Eager  to  ascertain  and  to  deliver 
my  orders,  we  continued  to  push  on.  Suddenly,  as  we 
were  passing  a  narrow  place,  with  thick  bushes  on  either 
side,  some  large  hands  were  laid  on  my  shoulders,  and 
a  rough  negro  voice  said, — 

"  Qui  etes-vous,  jeunes  gens  ?  " 

"  Amis,  j'espere,"  I  replied  readily,  summoning  to  my 
aid  a  large  proportion  of  the  French  I  had  learned  from 
Colonel  Pinchard. 

"  Oil  allez-vous  done  ?  "  was  next  asked. 

This  was  a  puzzler,  for  I  could  not  remember  the 
name  of  the  fort,  or,  indeed,  of  a  castle  in  French. 
Another  big  negro  had  caught  Toby  Bluff,  and,  of 
course,  could  elicit  no  information  from  him.  They 
both  laughed,  as  I  fancied,  at  my  attempts  to  speak 
French.  I  wanted  to  escape,  if  possible,  without  fight- 
ing ;  but  when  I  found  that  we  were  discovered,  I  put 
my  hand  to  ray  belt  to  draw  a  pistol.  It  was  imme- 
diately grasped  by  my  captors,  and  wrenched  out  of  my 
hand,  exploding  at  the  moment,  though  fortunately 
without  injuring  me.  The  negro  was  lightly  clad,  and 
possessed  of  three  times  my  strength,  so  that  I  in  vain 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         373 

struggled  to  free  myself  from  him.  Toby  also  was  com- 
pletely overpowered,  and  they  now  began  dragging  us 
along  up  the  hill. 

I  felt  very  uncomfortable.  We  had  failed  in  the 
object  of  our  expedition,  and  I  thought  we  should  either 
be  knocked  on  the  head  by  our  captors,  or  perhaps  be 
shot  for  spies  by  the  French,  while,  at  all  events,  if 
allowed  to  live,  we  should  be  kept  as  prisonei's  for 
months  or  years  to  come.  "Worked  up  to  desperation 
by  these  ideas,  I  struggled  violently  to  get  free,  calling 
to  Toby  to  do  the  same.  In  my  struggles  I  fortunately 
gave  my  captor  a  severe  kick  on  the  shins,  when  he,  in- 
stinctively stooping  down  to  rub  them,  let  go  his  hold. 
At  the  same  moment,  on  my  telling  Toby  what  I  had 
done,  he  imitated  my  example,  and  also  getting  free,  off 
we  set  at  full  speed,  pursued  by  the  negroes.  Where 
we  were  going  I  could  not  tell,  except  that  we  were  not 
running  toward  the  shore.  The  negroes,  having  stopped 
for  a  few  moments  to  rub  their  shins,  came  along  almost 
as  fast  as  we  did,  shrieking  and  shouting  out  to  us  all 
the  time  to  stop.  The  louder  they  shouted  the  faster  we 
ran,  till  we  were  brought  up  with  the  point  of  a  bayonet, 
and  the  challenge  of,  — 

"  Who  goes  there  ?  " 

"  Friends  —  Doris  !  "  I  answered,  recognizing  the 
voice  of  one  of  our  marines. 

The  negroes,  hearing  an  Englishman  speak,  bolted 
off  through  a  plantation  to  the  right,  tumbling  over  each 
other,  and  had  we  been  quick  about  it,  we  might  have 
made  them  both  prisoners.  The  marine  told  us  that 
his  party  was  a  little  further  in  advance,  that   they  had 

32 


874         MAnMABUKR    MEnRY,    THK    MIDSHIPMAN. 

been  tlelValod  in  the  attem[)t  to  storm  the  ibrt.  and  that 
Lieutenant  Fig  was  wailing  i'or  t'urlher  orders.  We 
hurried  on.  Daylight  was  making  rapid  strides,  and  as 
the  French  M'ould  soon  discover  the  smalhiess  of  our 
numbers,  we  should  have  their  whole  force  down  upon 
us,  and  \vc  should  be  cut  to  pieces  or  taken  prisoners. 

As  soon  as  1  had  delivered  the  order  to  the  marine 
officer,  he  gave  the  word,  "  March  —  double-quick,"  and 
off  we  set  at  a  pretty  smart  run.  Drums  and  fifes  were 
sounding  in  the  fort,  and  as  we  ci'ossed  a  ridge,  I  saw 
from  the  top  of  it  a  large  body  of  troops  coming  out  of 
the  gate  in  pursuit  of  us.  We  could  not  proceed  faster 
than  we  were  marching,  on  account  of  the  wounded, 
who  were  carried  by  the  blue-jackets  in  the  centre  of 
the  party.  As  it  was,  I  perceived  that  many  of  the 
poor  fellows,  from  the  groans  to  which  they  gave  vent, 
were  suffering  dreadfully.  Still,  it  was  impossible  to 
leave  them  behind,  for  though  the  French  might  have 
treated  them  with  humanity,  the  negroes  would  probably 
have  murdered  them,  had  they  fallen  into  their  hands. 
Daylight  was  increasing,  of  course,  exposing  us  more 
clearly  to  the  enemy.  I  never  before  had  had  to  run 
away,  and  I  cannot  say  that  I  liked  the  feeling,  still 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  in  this  instance  discretion  was 
the  best  part  of  valor.  It  would  have  been  folly  to  stop 
and  fight,  as  at  any  moment  parties  might  appear,  landed 
from  the  vessels  we  had  attacked,  and  who  might  cut  us 
off.  The  lieutenant  of  the  Pearl,  who  commanded  the 
seamen,  had  been  killed  in  the  attack,  so  that  the  entire 
command  devolved  on  Lieutenant  Fig,  and,  to  do  him 
justice,  he  behaved  with  great  judgment. 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         375 

The  enemy,  in  strong  force,  were  now  rapidly  ap- 
proaching us.  At  length  we  came  in  sight  of  the  boats  : 
the  wounded  were  sent  on,  while  the  rest  of  the  party 
faced  about  to  encounter  our  foes.  On  they  came,  but 
the  steady  front  exhibited  by  the  marines  made  thera 
halt.  Once  more  they  advanced.  We  received  them 
with  a  hot  fire,  and  stood  our  ground,  driving  them  back 
to  some  distance,  but  only  for  a  few  minutes,  for  as  we 
were  about  to  continue  our  retreat,  again  they  came  on, 
expecting  by  their  greatly  superior  numbers  to  over- 
whelm us.  Again  and  again  they  charged  us.  Several 
of  our  men  had  fallen,  and  it  was  too  evident  that  they 
would  soon  cut  us  to  pieces.  Should  we  be  once  thrown 
into  disorder,  we  should  be  destroyed  before  we  could 
I'each  the  boats.  I  found,  too,  that  our  ammunition  was 
almost  expended.  Again  the  enemy  came  on,  when,  at 
the  same  moment,  a  loud  huzza  was  heard  in  the  rear, 
led  by  a  voice  which  I  recognized  as  that  of  Jonathan 
Johnson,  and  on  he  came  at  the  head  of  some  twenty 
blue-jackets,  flourishing  their  cutlasses  like  a  body  of 
Highlanders,  and  shouting  at  the  top  of  their  voices. 
This  timely  support  encouraged  our  men,  and  charging  at 
the  same  moment,  we  drove  the  enemy  headlong  before  us. 

I  had  picked  up  a  musket,  and  charged  with  the  rest, 
and  was  carried  by  my  ardor,  or  from  not  knowing  ex- 
actly what  I  was  about,  ahead  of  my  companions.  I  felt 
excited  and  highly  delighted.  The  Frenchmen,  how- 
ever, as  they  retreated,  faced  about  every  now  and  then, 
and  fired.  As  I  Avas  cheering  lustily,  a  shot  struck  me, 
and  I  fell.  I  thought  no  one  had  noticed  me,  as  I 
heard  Lieutenant  Fig  give  the  order  to  retreat.     The 


376         MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

enemy  at  the  same  moment  halted,  and  encouraged  by 
the  arrival  of  another  officer,  they  again  came  on.  It 
seemed  all  up  with  me,  but  my  faithful  follower,  Toby 
Bluff,  had  seen  me  fall,  and,  springing  forward,  he 
threw  himself  in  front  of  me,  shouting  — 
.  "  If  any  on  you  Johnny  Crapeaus  dares  to  hurt  the 
young  measter,  now  he's  down,  I'll  have  the  life  out 
of  you!" 

Struck  by  Toby's  bravery,  the  Frenchmen  for  a  mo- 
ment hung  back,  but  they  were  again  coming  on,  and 
would  soon  have  overpowered  him,  when,  on  looking  up, 
I  saw  Mr.  Johnson  stooping  over  me.  In  a  moment  he 
had  lifted  me,  as  if  I  had  been  a  baby,  on  his  left  arm, 
and  telling  Toby  to  run,  with  his  cutlass  in  his  right 
hand,  he  kept  the  Frenchmen  who  pressed  on  him  at 
bay. 

Thus  fighting  and  retreating  we  reached  the  boats, 
and  one  of  them  having  brought  her  bow-gun  to  bear  on 
the  enemy,  loaded  with  grape,  kept  them  at  a  re- 
spectable distance,  while  the  rest  of  us  embarked. 
They  did  not,  indeed,  approach  the  shore  till  we  were 
fairly  off,  and  though  they  peppei-ed  us  with  musketry, 
only  one  or  two  men  were  slightly  hurt.  However, 
altogether  our  expedition  had  been  more  disastrous  than 
any  in  which  I  had  ever  been  engaged. 

With  heavy  hearts  we  pulled  on  board.  Mr.  John- 
son, with  the  gentleness  of  a  woman,  bound  up  my 
wound.  Poor  Gray  lifted  up  his  head  as  he  saw  me 
placed  by  his  side  in  the  stern-sheets,  and  said,  — 

"  What,  Merry,  are  you  hurt  too  ?  There  will  be  no 
need  of  shamming  this  time,  to  deceive  Macquoid." 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  377 

"  I  am  afraid  not,"  I  answered  faintly.  "  But  still  I 
hope  we  may  live  to  fight  the  Frenchmen  another  day." 

"  No  fear  of  that,  young  gentlemen,"  said  Mr.  John- 
son, who  had  overheard  us.  "  Keep  up  your  spirits  ; 
young  flesh  and  sinews  soon  grow  together,  and  there 
are  no  bones  broken  in  either  of  you,  I  hope." 

We  all  got  at  length  safely  on  board,  when  the 
wounded  were  without  delay  carried  below,  and  placed 
under  the  surgeon's  care.  He  repeated  the  boatswain's 
advice  to  Gray  and  me,  and  told  us  that  if  we  followed 
it  we  should  soon  be  well.  Two  or  three  of  the  poor 
fellows  brought  on  board  alive,  died  of  their  wounds 
that  night.  We  heard  that  Captain  Collyer  and  Com- 
mander Ceaton  were  very  much  cut  up  at  the  failure  of 
the  expedition,  and  the  loss  of  so  many  officei's  and  men. 
I  was  especially  sorry  for  M'Allister's  death.  Though 
eccentric  in  some  of  his  notions,  he  was  every  inch  an 
oihcer  and  a  gentleman. 

We  at  once  made  sail,  I  understood,  from  the  fatal 
spot,  but  the  genei'al  wish  was  that  we  might  fall  in 
with  the  schooner  elsewhere,  or  return  and  take  her. 

Before  many  days  had  passed,  I  received  a  visit  from 
my  cousin.  Sorrow  had  worked  a  sad  change  in  him, 
and  I  felt  grieved  as  I  looked  up  at  his  countenance,  of 
the  bad  report  I  should  have  to  give  of  him  to  poor 
Bertha. 

It  was  fortunate  for  Gray  and  me  that  we  kept  at 
sea,  for  the  weather  was  tolerably  cool,  and  our  hurts 
rapidly  healed. 

The  Doris  had  now  been  nearly  four  years  in  com- 
mission, so  that  we  expected,  as  soon  as  the  cruise  was 
32* 


S78         MAR3IADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

up,  to  be  sent  home.  "We  had  all  had  enough  of  the 
West  Indies,  and  we  looked  forward  with  eagei"  satisfac- 
tion to  the  time  when  the  white  cliffs  of  Old  England 
should  once  more  greet  our  eyes.  One  sorrow  only 
broke  in  on  our  anticipations  of  pleasure.  It  was  when 
we  thought  of  our  gallant  shipmates  who  had  been  cut 
off,  who  had  hoped,  as  we  were  doing,  once  more  to  be 
united  to  those  they  loved  so  dearly  at  home.  I  should 
have  been  more  sorry  for  Perigal  than  anybody  else, 
had  he  been  killed,  but  happily  neither  bullet  nor  fever 
seemed  to  hurt  him,  and  I  hoped  that  he  might  once 
more  be  united  to  his  wife.  I  thought,  too,  of  poor 
M'Allister's  Mary,  and  of  the  sad  news  I  should  have 
to  convey  to  her.  However,  I  cannot  say  that  I  in- 
dulged in  these,  or  other  mournful  reflections,  for  any 
length  of  time.  I  was  more  thoughtful  than  I  had  been 
when  I  came  to  sea  four  years  ago,  but  that  was  only  at 
times  when  some  occurrence  made  me  think.  Generally 
I  spoke  of  myself  as  Merry  by  name  and  merry  by  na- 
ture, and  was,  I  fear,  still  but  a  harum-scarum  fellow 
after  all. 

As  may  be  supposed,  the  general  subject  of  conver- 
sation in  the  berth,  or  during  the  night-watches,  was 
home.  Those  who  have  never  been  from  home,  can 
scarcely  understand  the  pleasure  seamen  experience, 
who  have  been  long  absent,  in  simply  talking  about  re- 
turning home.  There  they  expect  to  find  peace,  and 
quiet,  and  rest,  those  who  love  them,  and  can  sympa- 
thize with  them,  and  listen  to  their  accounts  of  all  their 
exploits  and  dangers  and  hardships.  Such  at  that  time 
were  my  feelings,  and  those  of  my  friend  Gray,  but  I 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         379 

am  very  certain  that  they  cannot  be  the  feelings  of  those 
who  have  given  way  to  vicious  habits,  and  whose  only 
expectation  is  to  enjoy  their  more  unbridled  indulgence. 
The  thought  of  a  pure  and  quiet  home  can  affoi'd  no 
joy  to  them ;  they  lose,  I  may  say,  one  of  the  chief 
recompenses  which  those  obtain  whose  duty  calls  them 
away  from  home,  and  all  the  loved  ones  there. 

Still  our  hope  was  deferred.  "We  were,  however,  the 
gainers,  in  one  respect,  by  this,  for  we  took  some  of  the 
richest  prizes  captured  on  the  station,  so  that  even  we 
midshipmen  began  to  feel  that  we  were  persons  of 
boundless  wealth.  At  length  our  orders  arrived,  and 
the,  shout  ran  along  the  decks,  — 

"  Hurra,  we  are  homeward  bound ! " 


380         MARMADUKE    MERKY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 


CHAPTER    XYI. 

To  England  we  with  favoring  gale, 

Our  gallant  ship  up  channel  steer ; 
When  running  under  easy  sail. 

The  light  hlue  western  cliffs  appear. 

How  often  and  often  have  those  cheerful  lines  been 
sung  by  young,  and  light,  and  happy  hearts,  beating 
high  with  anticipations  of  happiness,  and  thoughts  of 
the  homes  they  are  about  to  revisit  after  long  years,  of 
absence.  Such  was  the  song  sung  in  the  midshipman's 
berth  of  the  Doris,  as  once  more  our  gallant  frigate  en- 
tered the  chops  of  the  channel,  and  we  were  looking 
forward  to  seeing  again  those  Western  cliffs  which  often 
and  often  we  had  pictured  to  ourselves  awake,  and  seen 
in  our  dreams  asleep. 

I  will  not  dwell  on  the  feeling  with  which  "  Sweet- 
hearts and  wives  "  was  drunk  on  the  last  Saturday  eve- 
ning in  the  midshipmen's  berth  as  well  as  in  eveiy  mess 
in  the  ship ;  not  that  the  young  gentlemen  themselves 
had  any  one  who  could  properly  be  designated  as  one 
or  the  other,  but  they  might  hope  to  have,  and  that 
was  the  next  thing  to  it. 

I  thought  of  poor  M'AUister,  cut  down  in  his  early 
manhood,  and  of  his  poor  Mary,  and  I  resolved  if  pos- 
sible to  fulfil  his  i-equest,  and  to  go  and  tell  her  about 
him.  It  was  a  task  I  would  gladly  have  avoided.  Then 
again,  what  an   unsatisfactory  uccjuiit  I  must  give  to 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         881 

Bertha  of  poor  Ceaton.  His  expectation  of  dying  soon 
might  be  mere  fancy,  but  it  was  very  evident  that  his 
spirits  had  never  recovered  the  shock  he  had  received 
when  he  killed  Captain  Staghorn,  and  he  felt  himself 
branded  with  the  mark  of  Cain. 

I  was  far  from  recovered  from  my  last  wound,  and 
altogether,  my  anticipations  of  pleasure  were  tempered 
with  many  causes  for  sorrow.  However,  I  do  not  wish 
to  appear  sentimental,  though  I  do  wish  to  hint  that 
midshipmen,  even  when  returning  home,  must  not  ex- 
pect to  find  unclouded  happiness. 

We  had  still  some  leagues  to  traverse,  and  it  was 
possible  that  we  might  fall  in  with  an  enemy  and  have 
another  battle  to  fight,  before  we  could  reach  home. 
Not  that  any  one  had  any  objection  to  so  doing ;  on  the 
contrary,  no  one  expected  for  a  moment  that  we  could 
meet  an  enemy  without  coming  off  the  victor,  and  be- 
ing able  to  sail  into  Portsmouth  harbor  with  our  prize. 
A  sharp  look-out  was  accordingly  kept  on  every  side, 
as  we  sailed  up  channel,  but  by  that  time  few  French 
cruisers  remained  daring  enough  to  show  themselves 
near  the  British  coasts,  and  the  Needle  rocks  at  length 
hove  in  sight,  and  w^ith  a  leading  breeze  we  ran  up  in- 
side the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  anchored  at  Spithead,  among 
a  large  fleet  there  assembled. 

After  waiting  two  days,  uncertain  as  to  our  fate,  we 
received  orders  to  go  into  harbor  to  be  paid  off".  I 
need  not  describe  the  operation,  nor  the  scenes  which 
took  place  after  it.  Each  man  received  a  considerable 
sum,  and  I  believe  that  before  many  days  were  over, 
half  the  number  had  spent,  in  the  most  childish  way, 


882         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

the  larger  portion,  and  some,   every  shilling  of  their 
hard-earned  gains,  and  were  ready  again  to  go  afloat. 

Most  of  the  officers  had  gone  on  shore,  and  Spellraan, 
and  Gray,  and  I,  and  other  midshipmen,  were  prepar- 
ing to  take  our  departure,  when  we  went  to  bid  farewell 
to  Mr.  Johnson. 

"Mr.  Merry,  I  hope  that  we  shall  not  part  just  yet," 
he  said  with  great  feeling,  taking  my  hand.  "  The  ship 
is  to  be  left  in  charge  of  the  gunner,  and  I  have  ob- 
tained leave  to  go  up  to  London  to  visit  my  wife,  and 
for  other  reasons.  Now  it  will  afford  me  great  pleasure 
if  you  and  Mr.  Gray  will  make  my  house  your  resting- 
place  on  your  way  home,  or  rather  I  should  say  my 
wife's  house,  for  as  I  told  you,  she  is  a  lady  of  inde- 
pendent fortune.  Indeed,  Mr.  Merry,  friends  as  we  are 
afloat,  I  know  the  customs  of  the  service  too  well  to  ask 
you,  a  quarter-deck  officer,  to  my  house,  under  other 
circumstances. 

"  Don't  speak  of  that,  Mr.  Johnson,"  said  I,  feeling 
sure  that  he  would  be  pleased  if  I  accepted  his  invita- 
tion, and  wishing  perhaps  a  little  to  gratify  my  own 
curiosity.  "  I  shall  be  delighted  to  go  to  your  house. 
You  forget  how  much  I  am  indebted  to  you  for  having 
several  times  saved  my  life,  and  that  puts  us  on  an 
equality  on  shore,  if  not  on  board  ;  besides,  remember  I 
know  all  about  your  wife,  and  I  do  not  think  that  I  ever 
returned  you  the  letter  you  gave  me  for  her  when  you 
thought  you  might  be  killed." 

"  All  right,  Mr.  Merry ;  don't  let's  have  any  protes- 
tations :  we're  brother  seamen'  and  shipmates,  and 
thoroughly  appreciate  each  other,  though  some  of  the 


MARMADtJKE   MERRY,    THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         383 

incidents  I  mentioned  in  my  wonderful  narrative  might 
sliake  some  people's  confidence  in  my  veracity,"  he  re- 
marked, again  grasping  my  hand. 

"  However,  that  is  neither  here  nor  there.  You  un- 
derstand me,  and  that's  enough.  If  you  and  Mr.  Gray 
like,  we  will  take  a  post-chaise  between  us,  and  post  up 
to  town.  I  am  impatient  to  be  at  home,  and  you  will 
have  no  objection,  I  dare  say,  to  whisk  as  fast  along  the 
road  as  four  posters  can  make  the  wheels  go  round." 

Gray  and  I  willingly  agreed  to  Mr.  Johnson's  prop- 
osition. Spellman  was  not  asked,  and  had  he  been,  we 
concluded  that  he  would  not  have  accepted  the  invita- 
tion, so  we  said  nothing  about  it  to  him.  We  had  a 
jolly  paying-off  dinner,  with  the  usual  speeches,  and 
compliments,  and  toasts.  After  the  health  of  the  King 
was  drunk  and  all  the  Royal  family,  and  other  important 
personages,  Mr.  Bryan  got  up  and  said, 

"  Now,  gentlemen,  I  have  to  propose  the  health  of  a 
shipmate,  of,  I  may  say,  a  brother  officer  of  mine.  Lieu- 
tenant Perigal,  with  three  times  three."  Saying  this, 
he  pulled  out  of  his  pocket  one  of  those  long  official 
documents,  such  as  are  well  known  to  emanate  from  my 
Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty. 

"  Come  at  last !  hurrah  !  —  well,  it  will  make  my  dear 
wife  happy,"  were  the  first  words  the  delighted  Perigal 
could  utter. 

I  honored  him  for  them.  Faithful  and  honest,  he 
was  a  true  sailor.  I  afterwards  had  the  pleasure  of 
meeting  his  young  wife,  and  she  was  worthy  of  all  the 
eulogiums  he  had  delighted  when  absent  to  pass  on  her. 
He  had  picked  up  a  fair  share  of  prize  money,  other- 


384  MARMADUKF.    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

wise  his  half-pay  of  ninety  pounds  a  year  was  not  much 
on  which  to  support  a  wife  and  to  keep  up  tlie  appear- 
ance of  a  gentleman.  I  was  in  hopes  that  Mr.  Bryan 
would  himself  have  been  promoted,  but  he  was  not. 
Ml-.  Fitzgerald,  however,  very  shortly  afterwards  re- 
ceived his  commission  as  a  commander.  Bobus  de- 
clared that  it  was  because  he  had  stood  on  his  head 
before  the  king'  and  made  him  laugh,  or  because  he  had 
amused  some  other  great  person  by  one  of  his  wonder- 
ful stories.     I  met  him  one  day,  and  congratulated  him. 

"•  Ah,  merit,  merit  does  every  thing,  Mr.  Merry,  next 
to  zeal,"  he  exclaimed,  with  a  chuckle. 

"  You  always  were  a  zealous  officer ;  and  now  I  think 
of  it,  you  are  the  very  midshipman  who  took  off  his 
trousers  and  blew  into  them,  when  no  other  sail  or  wind 
was  to  be  had  for  love  or  money,  and  the  captain  was 
in  a  hurry  to  get  your  boat  back.  I've  often  told  the 
story  since  of  you,  and  set  it  all  down  to  your  zeal." 

"  Well,  let  this  be  your  consolation,  if  others  do  not 
recognize  your  services,  I  will,  w'hen  I  am  one  of  the 
Lords  of  the  Admiralty." 

"  Well,  sir,"  said  I,  "  I  hope  that  you  will  make  haste 
to  climb  up  into  that  honorable  position,  or  the  war  will 
be  over,  and  I  shall  not  have  secured  my  commission." 
I  did  not  think  that  it  would  have  been  polite  to  have 
replied,  I  thank  you  for  nothing,  but  certainly  I  did  not 
expect  ever  to  benefit  much  by  his  patronage. 

To  return  to  the  paying-off  dinner.  I  wish  that  I 
could  say  that  all  present  retired  quietly  to  their  respec- 
tive inns  and  lodgings  as  sober  as  judges  ;  but,  with  the 
exception  of  Gray  and  me,  I  believe  that  not  one  could 


MAEMArvXTKE   MEifRY,    THE   MIDSHflPMAN,         385 

have  managed  to  toe  a  plank,  had  they  been  suddenly 
ordered  to  make  the  attempt.  I  speak  of  things  as  they 
were  in  those  days,  not  as  they  now  are.  Happily,  at 
the  present  day  it  is  considered  highly  disgraceful  for 
an  officer  to  be  drunk ;  and  not  only  is  it  disgraceful  but 
subversive  of  discipline,  whether  he  is  on  or  off  duty, 
and  thus  injurious  to  the  interests  of  the  service,  and 
prejudicial  to  his  own  health  and  morals.  Taking  the 
matter  up  only  in  a  personal  point  of  view,  how  can  a 
man  tell  how  he  will  behave  when  he  has  allowed  liquor 
to  st-eal  away  his  wits  ?  what  mischief  he  may  do  him- 
self, what  injury  he  may  inflict  on  others  ?  In  the 
course  of  my  career  I  have  seen  hundreds  of  young 
men  ruined  in  health  and  prospects,  and  many,  very 
many,  brought  to  a  premature  grave  by  this  pernicious 
habit  of  drinking. 

"  But  what  is  the  harm  of  getting  drunk  once  in  a 
way  ?  "  I  have  heard  many  a  shipmate  ask. 

I  say,  a  vast  deal  of  harm.  How  can  you  tell  what 
you  will  do,  while  you  are  thus  once-in-a-way  drunk  ? 
I,  an  old  sailor,  and  not  an  over  straight-laced  one  either, 
do  warn  most  solemnly  you  young  midshipmen,  and 
others",  who  may  read  my  memoirs,  that  numbers  have 
had  to  rue  most  bitterly,  all  their  after  lives,  that  once- 
in-a-way  getting  drunk,  or,  I  may  say,  taking  more  than 
a  moderate  allowance  of  liquor.  Many  fine  promising 
young  fellows,  who  have  at  first  shown  no  signs  of  caring 
for  liquor,  have  ultimately  become  addicted  to  drinking, 
from  that  most  dangerous  habit  of  taking  a  nip  when- 
ever they  have  an  opportunity. 

"  But  why  call  that  a  dangerous  habit  ? "  shipmates 
33 


386         MAR^MADtTKE    irERTfT,    THE    inDSHTPSrASr. 

have  asked  me.  "  A  nip  is  only  just  a  taste  of  spiritg, 
raw  it  may  be,  or  perhaps  even  watered.  It's  a  capital 
thing  for  the  stomach,  and  keeps  ont  cold,;  and  saves 
many  a  fellow  from  illness." 

So  it  may,  say  I.  But  it  is  the  nip  extra,  I  dread, 
with  good  reason  ;  the  nip  when  no  such  necessity  exists^ 
or  rather  excuse,  for  a  man  may  pass  years  without 
positively  requiring  spirits  to  preserve  his  health.  How- 
ever, not  to  weary  my  readers  with  the  subject,  I  will 
conclude  it  by  urging  them  to  be  most  watchful,  lest 
they  take  the  first  step  in  this  or  any  other  vice.  How 
many  fall  because  they  think  that  vice  is  manly.  Which 
is  the  most  manly  person,  he  who  yields  to  his  foes,  or 
he  who,  with  his  back  to  a  tree,  boldly  keeps  them  at 
bay  ?  No  greater  foes  to  a  man's  happiness  and  pros- 
perity than  his  vices  —  or  sin.  No  man  can  expect  to 
escape  being  attacked  by  sin,  and  those  who  are  its 
slaves  already  cry  out,  "  Yield  to  it ,'  yield  to  it.  It's  a 
pleasant  master.  Just  try  its  yoke  ;  you  can  get  free, 
you  know,  whenever  you  like." 

Never  was  a  greater  falsehood  uttered,  or  one  more 
evidently  invented  by  the  father  of  lies.  The  yoke  of 
sin  is  most  galling ;  it  is  the  hardest  of  task-masters. 
The  people  who  talk  thus  do  their  utmost  to  hide  their 
chains,  to  conceal  their  sufferings,  which  giving  way  to 
sin  has  brought  upon  them.  Do  not  trust  to  them,  what- 
ever their  rank  or  character  in  the  world.  I  would 
urge  you  from  the  highest  of  motives,  from  love  for  the 
Saviour  who  died  for  you,  not  to  give  way  to  sin  ;  and 
I  would  point  out  to  you  how  utterly  low,  and  degrading, 
and  unmanly  it  is  to  yield  to  such  a  foe  —  a  foe  so  base 


MAEMADUKE   MEERT,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         387 

and  cowardly,  that  if  you  make  any  real  effort  to  with- 
stand him,  he  will  fly  before  you.  Don't  be  ashamed 
to  pray  for  help  through  Him,  and  you  are  not  on  equal 
terms  unless  you  do.  That  is  not  unmanly.  Sin  has 
got  countless  allies  ever  ready  to  come  to  its  support. 
By  prayer  you  will  obtain  one  —  but  that  One  is  all- 
powerful,  all-sufficient.  It  is  my  firm  belief  that  He, 
and  He  alone,  is  the  only  ally  in  whom  you  can  place 
implicit  reliance.  Others  may  fall  away  at  the  times  of 
greatest  need.  He,  and  He  alone,  will  never  desert 
you  ;  will  remain  firm  and  constant  till  the  battle  of  life 
is  over. 

Now  some  of  my  readers,  perhaps,  will  exclaim, 
"  Hillo,  ]Mr.  Midshipman  Marmaduke  Merry,  have  you 
taken  to  preaching  ?  You,  who  have  been  describing 
that  extraordinary  old  fellow,  Jonathan  Johnson,  with 
his  veracious  narratives,  and  wonderful  deeds.  You've 
made  a  mistake.  You've  taken  it  into  your  head  to 
write  some  sermons  for  sailors,  and  you've  got  hold  by 
mistake  of  the  manuscript  of  your  own  adventures." 

Pardon  me,  I  have  made  no  mistake,  1  reply.  When 
I  was  Midshipman  Marmaduke  Merry,  I  did  not  preach  ; 
I  did  not  often  give  good  advice  as  I  do  now.  I  wish 
that  I  had,  and  I  wish  that  I  had  taken  it  oftener  than 
I  did.  What  I  do  now  is  to  afford  the  result  of  my  ex- 
perience at  the  close  of  a  long  life  ;  and  it  is  that  expe- 
rience by  which  I  wish  you  to  benefit.  I  quote  the 
Scriptures,  and  I  believe  in  the  Scriptures  for  many 
reasons.  One  of  them  is  —  that  I  have  ever  seen 
Scripture  promises  fulfilled,  and  Scripture  threats  exe- 
cuted.   Now  let  me  ask  you  what  would  you  say  to  a 


388         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

man  whose  father,  or  some  other  relative,  had  been 
storing  up  gold  or  other  articles  of  value,  and  which, 
when  offered  to  him,  he  should  refuse  to  accept,  on  the 
plea  that  they  cost  much  trouble,  and  occupied  so  many- 
years  to  collect,  that  they  must  be  useless  ?  You  would 
say  that  such  a  man  is  an  idiot.  Yet  is  not  experience, 
or  rather  the  good  advice  which  results  from  experience, 
treated  over  and  over  again  by  worldly  idiots  exactly 
in  that  way  ?  Do  not  you,  dear  readers,  join  that 
throng  of  idiots  ?  Take  an  old  man's  advice,  and  pon- 
der over  the  matters  of  which  I  have  just  now  been 
speaking.  This  exhortation  has  arisen  out  of  our  paying- 
ofF  dinner.  I  might  have  given  you  a  very  amusing 
account  of  that  same  feast  —  though  it  was  not  "  a  feast 
of  reason,"  albeit  it  might  have  been  a  "  a  flow  of  soul," 
but  I  am  not  in  the  vein,  the  fact-  being,  that  paying-oflf 
dinners  are  melancholy  affairs  to  look  back  at.  How 
few  of  those  assembled  round  the  festive  board,  who 
have  been  our  companions  for  the  previous  three,  or 
four,  or  perhaps  five  years,  through  storm  and  battles 
and  -hardships,  ever  meet  again  ! 

Some  have  grown  in  honor,  some  have  sunk  in  dis- 
honor ;  some  have  struggled  on  with  services  unrequit- 
ed, and  have  become  soured  and  discontented  ;  others, 
again,  in  spite  of  their  humble  wordly  position,  have 
retained  good  spirits  and  kindly  feelings,  and  though 
now  old  lieutenants  with  gray  hairs,  appear  to  be  the  same 
warm  happy-hearted  beings  they  were  when  midship- 
men. Should  any  of  my  readers  not  meet  with  the 
success  they  desire,  I  hope  that  they  will  belong  to  the 
last  class ;  but  I  am  very  certain  that  they  will  not,  un- 


MARMADUKE   MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         389 

less,  as  midshipmen,  they  avoid  evil  courses,  and  fall 
not  into  the  paths  of  sin. 

The  morning  after  that  paying-off  dinner.  Gray  and  I 
were  up  early,  and  had  breakfasted,  when  a  yellow 
chaise  drew  up  at  the  door  of  the  Blue  Posts,  and  in  the 
interior  appeared  seated  a  very  dignified-looking  gentle- 
man in  plain  clothes,  whom  we  had  no  difficulty  in  dis- 
tinguishing as  Mr.  Jonathan  Johnson.  Toby  Bluff,  who 
was  on  the  box,  got  down  and  opened  the  door,  when 
Mr,  Johnson,  getting  out,  inquired  with  a  paternal  air, 
whether  we  were  ready  to  start. 

Our  portmanteaus,  flattened  and  wrinkled,  containing 
the  remainder  of  those  articles  which  on  starting  could 
with  difficulty  be  stowed  in  our  bulky  chests,  being 
strapped  on,  we  jumped  in,  followed  by  Mr.  Johnson, 
and  Toby  remounting  the  box,  up  High  Sti-eet  we  rat- 
tled at  a  tremendous  pace,  exactly  suited  to  our  feelings. 

"  This  is  pleasant,  isn't  it,  young  gentlemen  ?  "  ex- 
claimed Mr.  Johnson,  rubbing  his  hands.  "  I  never  like 
to  let  the  grass  grow  under  my  feet  either  ashore  or 
afloat.  Sometimes,  to  be  sure,  one  has  to  sit  still,  and 
wait  to  do  nothing,  the  most  trying  thing  in  the  world 
to  do.  However,  when  you  do  keep  moving,  take  care 
to  move  forward.  Some  people  move  backward,  remem- 
ber. I  have  from  time  to  time  given  you  bits  of  good 
advice,  and  I  dare  say  that  you  have  been  surprised  to 
hear  them  from  an  old  fellow  who  could  spin  such  an 
outrageous  yarn  as  my  veracious  narrative,  but  I  hope 
that  its  very  extravagance  will  have  prevented  you  from 
supposing  for  a  moment  that  I  am  capable  of  falsehood 
myself,  or  would  encourage  it  in  othei's ;  still  I  must 
33* 


390         MARMADUKE    MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN. 

own  that  I  have  been  guilty  of  a  piece  of  deceit,  though 
I  did  not  at  the  first  intend  to  deceive.  I  will  tell  you  the 
circumstances  of  the  case,  and  then  condemn  me  as  I 
deserve.  I  told  you  that  my  wife  was  a  lady  of  rank 
and  education.  My  father  was  really  very  well  connected, 
and  when  I  was  a  young  man  staying  with  him,  I  met  the 
daughter  of  a  country  gentleman  of  property,  with  whom 
I  fell  in  love,  and  she  had  no  objection  to  me.  Her 
parents,  however,  would  not  hear  of  the  match,  and  I 
was  sent  off  to  sea.  Though  only  a  warrant  officer,  I 
always  liked  good  society  when  I  could  enter  it,  and  on 
one  occasion  some  few  years  back,  having  gone  for  that 
purpose  to  Bath,  I  was  introduced  to  a  lady  who  was,  I 
was  informed,  the  Baroness  Strogonoff.  Before  long  I 
discovered  that  she  was  the  widow  of  a  Russian  baron, 
and  that  she  was  no  other  than  my  old  flame.  I  found 
that  she  had  always  felt  an  interest  for  me,  and  in  fact 
that  she  would  have  married  me  had  she  been  allowed. 
I  naturally  asked  her  if  she  would  now,  and  she  said 
Yes.  I  told  her  that  I  was  now  in  the  navy,  and  an 
oflicer,  and  though  this  was  true,  I  felt  that  I  committed 
a  gtesLt  fault  in  not  telling  her  that  I  was  only  a  warrant 
ofiicer.  I  was  flush  of  pi-ize  money  at  the  time,  and 
could  make  a  very  good  appearance,  which,  as  you  may 
suppose,  I  did  not  fail  to  do.  The  result  was  that  all 
her  old  affection  for  me  returned,  and  that,  to  cut  the 
matter  short,  we  married. 

"  Here  was  I,  a  poor  boatswain,  the  husband  of  a  rich 
baroness,  she,  of  course,  you'll  understand,  not  knowing 
that  I  was  a  poor  boatswain,  or  rather,  what  a  boat- 
swain is.     Now,  if  there's  one  thing  more  than  another 


MAKMABUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  391 

Sticks  iQ  my  throat,  it  is  the  thought  of  a  man  being  de- 
pendent on  a  woman,  let  her  be  wlio  she  maj,  for  his 
support,  if  he  can  support  himself  Now  I  had  the 
greatest  affection  and  i-espect  for  mj  wife,  but  this  feeling 
always  came  between  me  and  my  happiness.  While 
living  with  her  I  only  spent  my  own  prize  money  on 
myself;  and  though  I  would  gladly  have  remained  with 
her,  as  soon  as  I  was  appointed  to  a  ship  I  resolved  to  go 
to  sea.  I  was  not  worse  off  than  any  post-captain  or  other 
officer  in  the  service  in  this  respect.  I  told  her  that  duty 
called  me  to  sea,  and,  though  evidently  with  great  unwil- 
lingness, she  would  not  stop  me  in  the  path  of  duty.  Ah, 
young  gentlemen,  my  baroness  is  a  true  woman,  and  I 
only  wish  for  her  sake  that  I  was  a  post-captain,  and  in 
the  fair  way  of  becoming  an  Admiral.  She  deserves 
it,  anyhow.  I  have,  I  believe,  a  distant  cousin  a  bar- 
onet, and  as  I  believe  that  it  gives  me  some  importance 
in  the  eyes  of  her  friends,  I  talk  about  him  occasionally 
in  their  presence.  Not  that  I  care  a  fig  for  rank  my- 
self, except  so  far  as  it  might  gratify  her.  So  packing 
i;fp  my  traps  I  joined  my  ship,  not  allowing  any  one  on 
board  to  know  even  that  I  was  married.  I  felt  very 
sad,  but  I  kept  my  affairs  to  myself,  and  tried  to  do  my 
duty  to  the  best  of  my  power.  I  went  to  India,  and 
you  may  be  sure  I  collected  all  the  most  beautiful  pres- 
ents I  could  think  of  for  my  dear  wife.  I  picked  up, 
too,  a  good  share  of  prize  money,  so  that  I  felt  I  might 
return  home  with  a  clear  conscience,  and  the  prospect 
of  being  well  received.  I  was  not  mistaken,  for  ray 
wife  was  overjoyed  at  my  return,  and  would,  I  believe, 
have  been  so  had  I  come  back  without  a  single  jewel  or 


S92         MARMADFKE    ITERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN^ 

shawl  for  her,  and  without  a  guinea  in  iny  pocket.  Thig- 
time  I  was  able  to  leave  a  handsome  sum  of  money  with 
her,  of  which  I  begged  her  acceptance,  for  you  see  I 
knew  that  if  she  died  before  me,  I  had  always  my  pen- 
sion to  fall  back  on,  or  Greenwich,  and  that  I  should 
have  ample  for  all  my  wants  ;  and  I  felt  a  proud  satis- 
faction in  adding  to  her  comfort  and  enjoyment  by  every 
means  in  my  power,  for  I  doubt  if  any  other  boatswain 
in  the  service  can  boast  of  having  a  baroness  for  his 
wife." 

"I  should  think  not,  Mr.  Johnson,"  said  I.  "But 
then,  I  do  not  think  that  any  other  boatswain  in  the 
service  deserves  one  so  much  as  you."  He  pulled  up 
his  shirt  collars  and  looked  highly  pleased  at  this  re- 
mark. 

"  You  think  so,  Mr.  Merry  ?  You  are  a  young  gen- 
tleman of  discernment  in  most  matters,  and  I  hope  are 
so  in  this  respect,"  he  answered.  "  However,  when  you 
see  the  Baroness,  I  think  that  you  will  confess  that  a 
man  must  be  worth  something  to  be  worthy  of  her." 

Thus  we  talked  on,  and  I  fancy  that  our  tongues 
were  not  silent  for  a  minute  together  during  the  whole 
journey. 

The  last  stage  we  had  four  horses. 

"  I  like  to  go  home  in  style,"  observed  Mr.  Johnson. 
"  Not  on  my  own  account,  you'll  understand,  but  because 
it  pleases  the  Baroness,  and  makes  her  neighbors  sup- 
pose that  her  husband  is  a  person  of  consequence." 

We  darted  along  at  a  fine  rate,  and  at  length  drew 
up  at  the  door  of  a  very  pretty  villa  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  London,^  without  having  had  ta  di'ive  thi'ough 


MAR]»iA.DUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         393 

« 

the  city  itself.  We  sat  still,  while  Mr.  Johnson  sprang 
out,  and  we  saw  him  through  the  windows  cordially 
welcomed  by  a  really  very  handsome-looking  lady  of 
somewhat  large  proportions,  whom  we  had  no  doubt 
was  the  Baroness  herself.  In  this  conjecture  we  were 
right,  and  Mr.  Johnson  soon  returning,  introduced  us  in 
due  form  to  her.  She  received  us  most  graciously  and 
kindly,  indeed  in  the  most  good-natured  manner,  and 
told  us  that  we  were  welcome  to  stay  at  her  house  as 
long  as  we  pleased.  She  seemed  a  warm-hearted  un- 
sophisticated person,  and  I  should  have  said  not  over- 
,  refined  or  highly  educated.  Had  she  been  so,  I  confess 
that  I  do  not  think  she  would  have  married  my  worthy 
friend  Jonathan  Johnson.  A  room  was  quickly  pre- 
pared for  us,  and  we  found  ourselves  in  five  minutes" 
perfectly  at  home.  We  were  shortly  discussing  a  cap- 
ital dinner,  and  as  I  looked  at  our  well-dressed  host  at 
the  foot  of  the  table,  I  could  scarcely  believe  that  he 
was  the  same  person  who,  a  few  days  before,  was  carry- 
ing on  duty  with  chain  and  whistle  round  his  neck  as 
boatswain  of  the  Doris.  During  dinner  the .  Baroness 
announced  that  she  had  fixed  on  the  following  evening, 
before  she  knew  of  her  husband's  intended  return,  to 
give  a  rout,  and  she  pressed  us  so  warmly  to  stay  for  it, 
that  we,  nothing  loath,  consented  to  do  so.  We  were 
able  to  do  this,  as  we  had  not  mentioned  any  day  posi- 
tively for  our  appearance  at  our  own  homes.  We  spent 
the  next  morning  in  visiting  with  Mr.  Johnson  we 
sights  of  London,  but  we  returned  early,  as  he  was  un- 
willing to  be  long  absent  from  his  wife.  After  dinner 
a  host  of  servants  came  in,  and  in  a  rapid  space  of  time 


394         MARMADUKE   MERRY,   THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

prepared  the  house  for  the  reception  of  the  expected 
guests.  It  was  well  lighted  up,  and  I  was  quite  dazzled 
with  its  appearance.  Still  more  so  was  I,  when  the 
Baroness  came  down  glittering  with  jewels,  and  the 
guests  began  to  assemble,  and,  as  far  as  I  could  judge, 
there  appeared  to  be  a  number  of  people  of  some  rank 
and  consequence  among  them.  There  was  a  conserva- 
tory and  a  tent  full  of  flowers  at  the  end  of  a  broad  pas- 
sage, all  gaily  lighted  up,  and  several  rooms  thrown 
open  for  dancing,  and  a  band  soon  struck  up,  and  the 
Baroness  introduced  Gray  and  me  to  some  capital  part- 
ners, and  we  were  soon  toeing  and  heeling  it  away  to- 
our  hearts'  content.  We  had  plenty  to  say  to  the  young 
ladies  about  our  battles  and  other  adventures,  and  of 
course  we  took  care  not  to  speak  of  Mr.  Johnson,  though 
more  than  one,  I  thought,  pointedly  asked  what  his  rank 
was  in  the  navy.  I  replied,  carelessly,  that  he  was  a 
very  brave  officer,  who  had  greatly  distinguished  him- 
self, and  that  he  had  more  than  once  saved  my  life,  so 
that  there  was  no  man  in  existence  for  whom  I  had  a 
greater  regard.  I  believe  that  my  remarks,  without 
departing  in  the  slightest  degree  from  the  truth,  were 
calculated  to  raise  the  gallant  boatswain  in  the  estima- 
tion of  his  wife's  friends.  Scarcely  had  I  sat  down,  than 
I  was  again  on  my  legs,  prancing  with  my  partners  up 
and  down  the  room.  I  was  standing  quiet  for  a  moment, 
having  reached  the  foot  of  the  dance,  and  placed  my 
partner  in  a  seat,  when  I  felt  a  tap  on  my  shoulder,  and 
looking  round,  who  should  I  see  but  Captain  Collyer. 

"  What,  you  here,  Merry  !  "  he  exclaimed.  ""  How 
had  you  the  good  fortune  to  be  introduced  to  the 
baroness  ?  " 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.  395 

"  Mr.  Johnson  brought  us  here,  sir,"  said  I,  very  nat- 
urally, without  a  moment's  reflection. 

"  Mr.  Johnson  ! "  muttered  the  captain,  in  a  tone  of 
surprise.     "  AVho  is  he  ?  " 

I  was  about  to  reply,  when  on  looking  up,  there  I  saw 
him  across  the  room,  standing  looking  at  us  with  a  com- 
ical expression  of  vexation  on  his  countenance.  His 
eye  catching  that  of  the  captain,  he  immediately  ad- 
vanced, and  said  quietly, 

"  I  was  not  aware.  Captain  Collyer,  that  you  were 
coming  here,  or  I  should  have  let  you  know  beforehand 
my  position  in  this  house.  I  know,  as  you  are  aware, 
the  difference  between  a  post-captain  and  a  boatswain, 
and  I  should  not  have  presumed  to  invite  you,  though, 
as  master  here,  I  am  honored  -by  receiving  you  ;  but 
you  see,  sir,  that  you  may  do  me  much  harm  in  my 
social  position,  or  render  me  considerable  service,  in  the 
way  you  treat  me.     I  am  in  your  hands." 

"  I  wish  to  treat  you  as  one  of  the  bravest  and  most 
dashing  officers  in  His  Majesty's  service  deserves  to  be 
treated,"  answered  the  captain,  warmly.  "  How  you 
became  the  husband  of  a  lady  of  title,  I  will  not  stop  to 
inquire,  but  I  cannot  help  thinking  that  you  will  be 
wise  to  give  up  the  sea,  and  to  remain  by  her  side. 
The  service  will  lose  one  of  the  best  boatswains  who 
ever  served  His  Majesty,  but  the  baroness  will  gain  a 
good  husband  ;  and  I  shall  be  happy  to  associate  with 
one  I  esteem  as  a  friend  and  equal,  which  the  etiquette 
of  the  service  would  prevent  under  present  cii'cum- 
stances  from  doing." 

"I   thank   you    most  cordially,    Captain    Collyer  — 


S56         MARMADUKE   MEKKT,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN, 

from  my  hearty  I  do,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Johnson.  "  But 
you  see,  sir,  I  love  the  service  dearly,  and  should  be 
loath  to  quit  it ;  and  I  love  my  independence,  and  should 
be  unwilling  to  lose  that.  I  mean  that  I  should  be  sorry 
to  become  dependent  even  on  my  wife  for  support,  while 
I  am  able  to  work  for  it  myself.  I  have  explained  my 
feelings  and  motives,  and  1  hope  that  you  will  consider 
them  right." 

"  Indeed  I  do,  and  honor  you  for  them,"  answered  the 
captain.  "  But  still,  Mr.  Johnson,  I  think  that  you 
should  take  the  l^idy's  opinion  on  the  subject.  I  sus- 
pect that  when  she  knows  the  true  state  of  the  case,  she 
would  far  rather  you  remained  at  home  than  have  to 
go  knocking  about  the  salt  ocean,  without  the  prospect 
of  bettering  yourself."    . 

"  That's  the  only  fault  I  have  to  find  with  the  ser- 
vice," said  Mr.  Johnson.  "  Perhaps  I  have  been 
dreaming,  when  living  on  in  hopes  that  some  change 
might  be  made  whereby  I  might  benefit  myself,  that  is, 
rise  in  the  service,  which  has  ever  been  my  ambition. 
Why  should  not  a  warrant  be  a  stepping-stone  to  a 
commission  through  extraordinary  good  conduct  in  the 
navy,  just  as  a  sergeant  may  hope  to  rise  in  the  army  ? 
I  don't  mean,  sir,  that  I  wish  to  see  the  present  class  of 
boatswains  obtain  commissions,  but  with  that  rewa^'d  in 
view,  a  better  class  of  men  would  enter  the  service,  and 
it  would  improve  the  character  of  the  warrant  officers." 

"  So  it  might,  but  a  large  proportion  would  fail  in 
obtaining  their  ends,  and  then  we  should  have  a  num- 
ber of  discontented  warrant  officers,  instead  of  being, 
as  at  present,  the  best  satisfied  men  in  the  service." 


MAKMADUKE   MERRY,   THE   MIDSHIPMAN.         397 

"  There's  force  in  that  objection,  Captain  Colly er ; 
the  matter  requires  consideration,"  answei'ed  our  host. 
"You  must  not  rank  me,  however,  among  the  discon^ 
tented  ones.  I  have  long  made  up  my  mind  to  take  things 
as  they  are,  though  I  hope  that  I  should  not  have  been 
found  wanting,  had  I  attained  a  far  higher  rank  than  I 
now  hold." 

While  we  were  talking,  I  had  observed  a  dapper 
little  well-dressed  man  come  into  the  room,  and  look 
eagerly  around.  He  soon  discovered  the  baroness, 
and  having  talked  to  her  for  some  time  in  an  animated 
style,  he  advanced  with  her  toward  us.  He  then  ran 
forward,  and  taking  Mr.  Johnson's  huge  paw  in  his 
hand,  he  wrung  it  warmly,  exclaiming, 

"  I  congratulate  you,  Sir  Jonathan  Johnson,  and  your 
amiable  and  charming  lady  —  indeed  I  do,  from  the 
bottom  of  my  heart  —  on  your  accession  to  title  and 
property.  As  you  never  saw,  or  indeed,  I  fancy,  never 
heard  of,  your  relative  the  late  baronet,  your  grief  need 
not  be  very  poignant  on  that  account,  so  we'll  say  nothing 
about  it  just  now.  I  have  been  working  away  like  a 
mouse  in  a  cheese  ever  since  I  got  an  inkling  that  you 
were  the  rightful  heir,  and  have  only  just  discovered 
the  last  link  in  the  chain  of  evidence  ;  and  then,  having 
rigged  myself  out,  as  you  nautical  gentlemen  would  say, 
in  a  presentable  evening  suit,  I  hurried  off  here  ;  and 
so  there's  no  doubt  about  it,  and  I  should  like  to  give 
way  to  an  honest  hearty  cheer  to  prove  my  satisfac- 
tion." 

Our  friend's  countenance  was  worthy  of  the  pencil 
of  a  painter,  while  the  little  lawyer  was  thus  running 
34 


398         MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

on.  His  astonishment  for  a  time  overpowered  his  satis- 
faction. 

"  I  Sir  Jonathan  Johnson  ! "  he  at  length  slowly  ex- 
claimed, "la  baronet  —  I  the  possessor  of  a  title  and 
fortune  —  I  no  longer  a  rattan-using,  call-blowing,  grog- 
drinking,  pipe-smoking,  yarn-spinning  boatswain,  but  a 
right  real  English  baronet  —  my  dear  Baroness  !  I  am 
proud,  I  am  happy,  I  am  *  *  *  and  he  threw  his  arms 
round  his  wife's  neck,  in  spite  of  all  the  company  pre- 
sent, and  bestowing  on  her  a  hearty  kiss,  gave  way  to  a 
jovial  cheer,  in  which  Gray  and  I  and  the  lawyer,  and 
even  Captain  Collyer,  could  not  help  joining. 

The  new  Sir  Jonathan,  however,  very  soon  recover- 
ing himself,  became  aware  of  the  absurdity  of  his  con- 
duct, and  the  guests,  collected  by  the  cheer,  coming 
round  to  congratulate  him,  he  apologized  in  a  fitting 
way  for  his  unwonted  ebullition  of  feeling.  In  a  won- 
derfully short  time  he  was  himself  again,  and  no  man 
could  have  borne  his  honors  with  a  better  grace. 

When  the  captain  and  Gray  and  I  again  congratu- 
lated him,  he  replied,  "  I  am  much  obliged  to  all  my 
kind  friends  here,  but  I  know  that  your  good  wishes  are 
sincere." 

Numberless  speeches  on  the  subject  were  made  at 
supper,  and  when  Captain  Collyer  shook  his  late  boat- 
swain by  the  hand  at  parting,  he  assured  Sir  Jonathan 
that  nothing  had  given  him  greater  pleasure  than  so 
doing. 

"  All  I'll  ask.  Captain  Collyer,  is,  that  when  you  get 
a  ship,  you'll  give  me  a  cruise  some  day.  I  don't  think 
that  I  could  go  to  sleep  happily  if  I  was  to  fancy  that  I 


MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN.         399 

should  never  have  the  salt  spray  again  dashing  into  my 
face,  or  feel  the  deck  lifting  under  my  feet." 

The  promise  asked  was  really  given,  and  Sir  Tona 
than  Johnson  was  afterwards  engaged  in  one  of  the  mos' 
gallant  actions  during  the  war,  when,  as  a  volunteer,  ht 
led  the  bparders  in  his  old  style,  and  was  mainly  instru 
mental  in  capturing  the  enemy. 

After  peace  was  established  he  bought  a  yacht,  and 
many  a  pleasant  cruise  I  took  with  him  during  those 
piping  times,  our  old  shipmate  Perigal,  to  whom  he  had 
thus  an  opportunity  of  offering  a  handsome  salary,  acting 
as  his  captain. 

Toby  Bluff,  by  his  steady  behavior  and  sturdy  bravery, 
became  a  boatswain,  and  has  now  charge  of  a  line-of- 
battle  ship  in  ordinary  at  Portsmouth. 

The  captain's  old  servant  at  last  came  on  shore,  and 
took  to  gardening ;  but  as  he  usually  pulled  up  the 
flowers  instead  of  the  weeds,  he  was  directed  to  confine 
himself  to  sweeping  the  walks,  which  he  did  effectually, 
with  delightful  slowness  and  precision.  He  was  one 
day  in  summer  found  sprinkling  the  housemaid's  tea- 
leaves  over  them,  as  he  remarked,  to  lick  up  the  dust. 

I  have  said  nothing  about  my  own  family.  It  is  a 
sad  subject.  Poor  Bertha  !  The  gallant  Ceaton  never 
came  home.  His  health  gave  way.  but  he  did  not  die 
of  disease.  He  fell  on  the  deck  of  his  own  ship  in 
action,  at  the  moment  the  enemy's  flag  was  seen  to  come 
down,  the  cheers  of  his  victorious  crew  ringing  in  his 
ears.  ""^ 

Now,  dear  readers,  old  and  young,  farewell.  I  must 
bring  these  recollections  of  my  early  career  as  a  Mid- 


400  MARMADUKE    MERRY,    THE    MIDSHIPMAN. 

shipman  to  a  conclusion.  I  wish  that  I  had  reason  to 
believe  they  were  as  edifying  as  I  hope  they  may  have 
proved  amusing.  All  I  ask  is,  that  you  will  deal  lightly 
with  the  faults  of  the  work.  Take  whatever  good  ad- 
vice you  may  have  found  scattered  through  the  previous 
pages,  and  do  not,  by  imitating  the  bad  example  of  any 
of  my  old  shipmates,  give  me  cause  to  regret  that  I  un- 
dertook to  write  this  veracious  history,  as  Mr.  Jonathan 
Johnson  would  say,  of.  the  early  days  of 

Mabmaduke  Merry,  the  Midshipman. 


V 


THE  LIBRARY 
IMV  ERSITV  OF  CALIFORNIA 

Santa  Barbara 


1 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DLL  ON  THE  LAST  DA 
STAMPED  BELOW. 


lOOM  11/86  Series  9482 


-g^l 


8|  -ttrt*^  IS 


^lH4tf  Jr> 


3     205  00740  2538 


g^iyj^(i[/^  e 


'4kp 


='  c±n 


B    THE  UMVBtSITY    o 


'^^m 


/ 


itiSit^A  «. 


0     Of  CAUPOKNIA     o 


IM 


II 


o  VBvwrre  wnvs  o 


9 


5fi 


/ 


o    U<5«3AINn  3Ki    » 


CTtO.  I» 


O    TMe  UfttAtY  Of    s 


<-nC 


